First Round (at Swarthmore): Swarthmore d.
Gettysburg, 25-17, 25-15, 25-21.
Semifinal (at Haverford): Swarthmore d. Haverford, 25-20,
17-25, 20-25, 27-25, 15-8
Semifinal (at Haverford): Franklin & Marshall d. Johns
Hopkins, 25-10, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 16-14.
Final (at Haverford): Franklin & Marshall d.
Swarthmore, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.
HAVERFORD, Pa. – Pam
Horner had 42 assists and 15 digs to lead Franklin &
Marshall to a 3-0 victory over Swarthmore in the Centennial
Conference (CC) Volleyball Championship Sunday. The victory gives
the Diplomats the conference's automatic qualifier bid in the NCAA
Tournament.
The title is the fifth in F&M history. The last one was won in
2000, head coach Mary Kate Boland's senior season.
F&M (22-6) found itself in an early 9-7 hole, before tying set
one at nine apiece. The Diplomats went on a 6-2 run to take a
commanding 15-11 lead. The Garnet (19-11) battled back to come
within a point at 16-15, before F&M scored four straight points
to go up 20-15. A kill by Kerry
Rom made 24-17, before a service error and a kill by Horner
gave F&M a 25-18 set one victory.
Set two mimicked the first as the Diplomats trailed 4-6 early
before scoring five straight to take a 9-6 edge. F&M
built its lead to 19-14, but the Garnet countered with a 6-2 run to
come within one at 21-20. Rom picked up two more kills down
the stretch for a 25-22 set win.
The Diplomats jumped out to 6-2 lead in the third set, but
Swarthmore strung together a 9-6 run to make the score 12-11 in
F&M's favor. The Diplomats answered with a 9-4 run of their own
taking a 21-15 advantage, but the Garnet would not go away, tying
the set at 22. F&M finished strong with three straight
points to take the set 25-22 and the conference crown.
Nicole
Morano finished with 14 kills and three block assists. Morano
picked up nine block assists this weekend to become F&M's
all-time career leader with 212. Rom had eight kills in the contest
and picked up 10 digs. Jessica
Poucel collected four service aces and Sydney
Seydel finished with nine kills.
Swarthmore was led by Allison Coleman with 22 assist and eight
digs. Hillary Santana finished with nine digs for the Garnet.