TAMPA, Fla. – The fifth-seeded Gannon volleyball team advanced to the final four for the second time in school history with a 3-1 win over fourth-seeded Hillsdale College on Thursday evening during the 2021 national quarterfinals at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center in Tampa. Gannon dropped the first set by a score of 25-20, before winning the next three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-16.
With the win, Gannon snapped Hillsdale's 10-match winning streak that dating back to Tuesday, Oct. 26 during a 3-0 loss to Ferris State. The Golden Knights have now won four in a row and 11 of their last 12. A pair of former GLIAC foes, Gannon is now 15-23 all-time against Hillsdale.
The Knights are now 32-6 on the season and will battle top-seed and host Tampa for a spot in the National Championship match. The Gannon-Tampa national semifinal is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening. The Spartans advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 win over eighth-seeded Augusta in today's fourth quarterfinal matchup. Tampa also dropped its first set tonight (20-25), before winning three in a row (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) to pick up the win. Gannon is 1-4 all-time against Tampa.
Gannon last earned a berth in the NCAA Final Four back in 2017. That year, The Knights defeated Regis 3-0 in the national quarterfinals, before falling to Florida Southern in a thrilling five-setter in the semifinals. Seniors
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) and
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) were both members of Gannon's final four team in 2017.
Senior
Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) recorded her third 20-plus kills performance of the season in the win, finishing the match with 21 kills to go with 17 digs and two blocks assists. Sampson recorded 21 kills and four attack errors on 67 total attacks (.254 hitting pct.). It was Sampson's third double-double (kills/digs) of the season.
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) also finished in double-figures with 12 kills and four block assists. Kerestes has recorded 12 kills or more in all four of Gannon's NCAA Tournament matches this month.
Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) chipped in eight kills and three blocks assists, while
Sam Deinek (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon East) chipped in seven kills.
Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) also contributed in the middle with six kills and a trio of blocks.
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) passed out 45 assists to go with 18 digs, four kills and three blocks. Beyers recorded her 11
th 40+ assist performance of the season and she also finished with a double-double for the 23
rd time this season.
Gannon also got a number of solid performances on defense during the victory, including a career-high 35 digs from
Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell).
Kenzie Lasher (Ford City, Pa./Armstrong) also tallied 20 digs in the win.
Statistically, Gannon's biggest advantage in the win was on the attack, with the Golden Knights hitting .232 with 58 kills compared to 15 attack errors. Hillsdale, on the other hand, hit .135 with 47 kills and 21 attack errors. Defensively the teams were even as the match features several long rallies. GU held a 103-96 advantage in total digs. The Golden Knights also held a 9-7 edge in total blocks.
Hillsdale had a 5-3 advantage in service aces.
Karoline Shelton recorded a double-double to lead Hillsdale, finishing with 17 kills and 21 digs. Maggie DePorre also chipped in seven kills for the Chargers. Alli Wiese and Madie Schider led the defensive effort for Hillsdale with 26 and 22 digs, respectively.
Hillsdale's season comes to an end with a 30-5 overall record.
