WHEELING, W.Va. – The second-seeded Gannon volleyball team put on a dominating performance on Saturday evening with a 3-0 win over the top-seed and host Wheeling University Cardinals. The Golden Knights won by set scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-18 and have now advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the sixth time in program history, including the third time in the last four NCAA Tournaments (2017, 2019, 2021). The 2020 NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gannon improved to 31-6 with the victory and will now advance to Tampa, Florida for the 2021 NCAA Division II Elite Eight from Dec. 9-11. Gannon's opponent and game time will be announced early in the week.
The Golden Knights hit .336 in the match with 52 kills and 12 errors on 119 total attacks.
Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) led the way for Gannon with 19 kills, five digs and two blocks.
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) also chipped in 14 kills and had five blocks in the win for the Knights. In the regional championship win on Saturday, Kerestes became the third player this season and 20
th player in program history to surpass the 1,000-career kills milestone. Sampson and McClung also joined the Gannon Volleyball 1,000 Kills Club earlier this season.
McClung was the third Golden Knight to reach double figures in Saturday's victory, finishing the match with 10 kills and three blocks.
Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) also had a big day in the middle for the Knights with five kills and five block assists.
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) once again anchored the Gannon attack with 44 assists, seven digs and four blocks.
Beyers, Kerestes, McClung and Sampson each represented Gannon on the 2021 Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team.
Defensively, Gannon got 18 digs from
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) and nine from
Katie Becht (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster).
Kenzie Lasher (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) also contributed six digs defensively for the Golden Knights.
Gannon's defense limited Wheeling to just 32 kills and six blocks as the Cardinals hit just .124 in the match. Wheeling had 18 attack errors and did not record a service ace in the match.
Gannon held a 10-6 advantage in total blocks.
Wheeling's season comes to an end with a 29-6 overall record. The Cardinals got a team-high seven kills from Allonda Watkins, while Mady Winters chipped in six. Audrey Francis had 20 digs and six assists.
