WHEELING, W.Va. – Gannon Volleyball advanced through round one of the NCAA Division II Volleyball tournament with a four-set victory over Shippensburg on Thursday, Nov. 30, in Wheeling, W.Va. The Lady Knights took down the Raiders, 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16.
Gannon will see Pitt-Johnstown in the second round of the tournament on Friday, Dec. 1. The No.3-seed Mountain Cats swept No. 6-seed Seton Hill, 3-0, setting up the rematch of the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title match. It's also the third straight season the Lady Knights have reached the second round.
Gannon won the first set thanks to an 8-1 run that took the Lady Knights from down, 14-12, to up five, 20-15. Gannon continued full steam ahead for a 25-21 set victory. The Lady Knights dropped set two, 25-19, before regaining momentum in the third set, 25-21. The Lady Knights continued that momentum into set four. Gannon jumped out to a 13-8 lead on six kills between
Kelsey Ansec (Solon, Ohio/Solon) and
Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder). The Raiders rallied with three straight points to close within 13-11. A
Maggie Wilhelm (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) kill followed, setting off a 12-5 run to finish off the set, 25-16.
Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) recorded her 13
th double-double of the season, including a career-high 20 kills and 12 digs.
Ansec posted her 15
th consecutive match with double-digit kills. The senior produced 18 kills and had a .216 hitting percentage in the contest.
Four Lady Knights collected 10+ digs in the match.
Sara Crandall (Cattaraugus, N.Y./Cattaraugus-Little Valley) led GU with 24, followed by
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) (12), A. Smith (12) and
Maggie Wilhelm (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (11). It was Crandall's 15th match with over 20 digs this season.
The Lady Knights improved to 29-6 while Shippensburg ends its season at 21-12.
Gannon and Pitt-Johnstown square-off in the second round of the NCAA tournament at 5 p.m. on Friday in Wheeling, W.Va. It will be the first of two regional semifinals played at Wheeling Jesuit. No.4-seed Indiana (Pa.) will play the No. 1-seed Wheeling Jesuit in the second match at 7:30 p.m.
