Box Score Allendale, Mich. – The Ashland University Eagles advanced to the NCAA Midwest Region Volleyball Semifinals for the second year in a row after downing the University of Southern Indiana, 3-0 on Thursday (Dec. 5) at the Grand Valley State University Fieldhouse Arena.
Ashland won, 25-15, 25-22, 25-17, and is 26-7 overall on the year. The University of Southern Indiana ended its season with a record of 24-9.
The match featured four Eagles who had 10 or more kills in the three-set match. Baley Bernthisel (11), Alli Cudworth (11), Maureen Johnson (10), and Casey Clark (10) all helped the Eagle attack with double-digit kills.
"With looking at the stats and what we hit as a team, everyone did their part, which is nice. It really was very balanced today," noted head coach Cass Dixon.
Redshirt freshman Shelly DeHenning had a match-high 41 assists and Marci Zegarac led the way with 12 digs. Samantha Zuber had eight kills, four block assists and one block solo. Clark recorded a match-high three aces.
Ashland had control of the first set from the very beginning. The Eagles went up by two after Zuber scored off a pass from DeHenning and made the score 4-2. Clark helped AU extend its lead to 6-3 after she smashed the ball into a hole in the Screaming Eagles defense. Zuber and Clark stopped an attack by USI with a huge block assist that made the score 13-7. On the next play Clark sent over a hard fastball that came right back over for an Eagle attack by Johnson to make the score 14-7.
After back-to-back kills by Cudworth the score was 19-12. Johnson smacked down a forceful kill to make the score 21-14. Bernthisel and Johnson teamed up on the next play for a block assist, which gave the Eagles an eight-point lead. An ace by DeHenning made the score 23-14. Bernthisel got AU to set point at 24-15, and the set ended by an attack error by USI's Lauren DeShaney. Ashland recorded 16 kills and three blocks in the first set. AU hit .406 from the floor.
In the second set, USI took an early 4-0 lead. Johnson helped AU make the score 4-2 after a kill and a block solo. The Eagles took a 5-4 lead after Bernthisel's hard attack touched the ground. The score was tied at 8-8 until Clark added another kill to make the score 9-8. AU had a four-point lead at 15-11 in the second set. A block assist by Johnson and Bernthisel made the score 17-14.
The Screaming Eagles started chipping away at AU's lead and tied the set at 17-17. USI took a one-point lead, but AU won the next point to make the score 18-18. The score was even again at 21-21. However, Ashland won the next three points with help from kills by Zuber and Cudworth. Cudworth ended the set from a pass by DeHenning. In the second set AU tallied 15 kills.
AU came out strong in the third set and quickly took an 8-2 lead. The Screaming Eagles rallied back and got with in two of Ashland at 10-8. Ashland's DeHenning and Johnson added a block assist and made the score 12-9. A solid kill by Bernthisel furthered the Eagles lead to 19-12.
"I think we did a much better job of controlling the pace of the game in the third set," said Dixon.
The Eagles continued to control the set as the score was 23-13 after a powerful attack by Cudworth. A kill by Cudworth ended the set and the match. AU hit .405 in the third set and had 19 kills with only two errors.
As a team Ashland recorded 50 kills on 114 attempts with 13 errors. AU had 45 assists, six aces, 53 digs, and nine team blocks. AU hit .325 from the floor and held USI to .113 hitting percentage.
Abbey Winter, who had nine kills in the quarterfinal match, led the Screaming Eagles. Setter Jorae Bradbury recorded 26 assists.
Dixon on meeting either Grand Valley or Truman State said, "Whoever it is that we have to play, if we go out and play, it's going to be a competition. We need to go out and be ready for the style of play that both teams play."
The Eagles will play in the NCAA Regional Semifinals at 7:30 p.m., Friday (Dec. 6). They will take on the winner of the Grand Valley State (#1)-Truman State (#8) match.
Ashland has faced both Grand Valley State and Truman State this year. AU lost twice to GVSU. The Eagles beat Truman State, 3-0 during the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover Tournament.
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