Box Score By their own admission, the AU women's volleyball was beaten up physically.
The Eagles were never, however, beaten down mentally.
Thursday (Nov. 29) at Indianapolis in the first round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Tournament, the Eagles stunned second-seeded Northwood, 3-2. Ashland is the seventh seed in this tournament. The victory sends the Eagles into Friday's regional semifinals against Hillsdale. That match will be played at 5 p.m.
The win gives AU a 24-8 record. Northwood, the GLIAC Tournament champion, is 26-7.
Entering this postseason encounter, the Eagles were 0-2 against the Timberwolves this season. In the first of those losses, at Kates Gymnasium, AU roared out to a 2-0 lead only to see the 'Wolves rally to win, 3-2. At Northwood in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals, NU swept the Eagles, 3-0. Each set was close, however and that gave AU head coach Cass Dixon hope that the Eagles could bounce back in this playoff match.
Ashland took a 2-0 lead by winning the first two sets, 25-23 and 25-19. Northwood got back into the contest by winning the next two sets, 25-20 and 25-20. That set up the win-or-go-home final set. Midway through the stanza, the Eagles grabbed control. At the end, it was all Ashland as the Eagles closed out the match with two aces and a kill.
AU senior outside hitter Brittany Snider (Olmsted Falls, Ohio) led all players in the match with 25 kills. She had a .254 hitting percentage and 14 digs. This was her 12th double-double of the year. Junior middle blocker Baley Bernthisel (Grand Rapids, Ohio/Otsego) had 16 kills and four errors in 37 attacks (.324). Senior setter Crystal Elliott (Canal Winchester, Ohio) finished with 46 assists and a team-high 21 digs. This was her 13th double-double in 2012. Junior Marci Zegarac (Lansing, Ill./South) had 20 digs.
Northwood was led by Tatjana Rajic, who had 20 kills. GLIAC player of the year Juliia Pakhomenko had 17 kills and 12 digs.
Hillsdale reached Friday's match with a 3-1 victory over Grand Valley State. The Chargers are the sixth seed in this tourney. Ashland and Hillsdale played once this season - in Ashland on Oct. 20 and the Chargers won, 3-0. Hillsdale went to the NCAA Championships a year ago.
Ashland is in the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2007. This is a single-elimination tournament. Host Indianapolis is the top seed in the field.
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VB/ALK
