G-MAC Championship Bracket
GREENWOOD, Ind. – If all goes according to plan at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship for top-seeded Cedarville University this week, the athletic department will need to clear out more room in an already-crowded trophy case.
Cedarville hoisted G-MAC title hardware in three conference championship events played out over last weekend (men’s soccer, men’s cross country, women’s cross country) and have aspirations on a fourth to close out the fall.
But five other G-MAC schools carry similar ambitions to try and alter the Lady Jackets’ script after Cedarville ran roughshod through the conference schedule with a near-spotless 10-1 record.
The Lady Jackets (18-13, 10-1 G-MAC) will survey the scene with second-seeded Ohio Valley (23-9, 10-2 G-MAC) during first-round byes and await the quarterfinal winners that will be determined on Thursday.
Ohio Valley and Cedarville will play their unknown opponents in the semifinal round scheduled for Friday at 4 and 6:30 p.m., respectively.
Opening-round quarterfinal matches feature No. 3 Ursuline (17-8, 8-4 G-MAC) and No. 6 Alderson Broaddus (10-22, 6-6 G-MAC) followed by No. 4 Kentucky Wesleyan (15-12, 7-4 G-MAC) and No. 5 Trevecca (15-14, 6-5 G-MAC).
Ursuline/Alderson Broaddus is scheduled to start on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Kentucky Wesleyan/Trevecca will take the court soon after at 7:30 p.m. EST.
The Callan Athletic Center, which houses up to 2,500 fans, will serve as a beehive of activity with five total matches being played from Thursday to Saturday. As the host insitution, Cedarville will provide the video/audio broadcast with live stats streaming for each match.
Cedarville has been tough as nails at home, going 9-1 in Callan in its quest for a third-consecutive G-MAC Championship trophy. Head Coach Doug Walters brings his squad into the postseason as winners in four of its last five, including gripping five-set victories against Kentucky Wesleyan and Ursuline to close out October. CU’s only G-MAC defeat was against Trevecca.
CU’s reigning G-MAC Volleyball Player of the Year Hannah Wagner continues to find her stride after earning player of the week honors two times in a row. The Lady Jackets won seven straight in a stretch this season and continue to challenge themselves on a national level being scheduled against perennial NCAA regional qualifiers.
Ohio Valley matched the program’s single-season win record with 23 this season while being entrenched as the No. 2 seed under longtime head coach Paul Jacoby. Led by frontline standouts Imani Ward, Alyx Henry, Felicia Zartman and Amanda Weatherwax, the Fighting Scots are a force to be reckoned with. Setter Jessica Simpson was the final G-MAC Athlete of the Week and OVU is red hot coming in as winners of eight straight.
Ursuline was in the driver’s seat at the top of the conference standings earlier in the season and burst out of the gates with a 9-1 start. The Arrows completed the regular-season sweep against their first-round opponent, Alderson Broaddus, but the Battlers took UC to a four-set finish and a five-set final.
Ursuline’s Emily Adkinson has hovered around the top of the national leaders in hitting percentage and is flanked by Abbie Fabo and Makayla Windau, who combine to average almost five kills per set.
AB’s G-MAC schedule has resulted in an even .500 record, including a pair of critical sweeps vs. Davis & Elkins to help its cause for the postseason. The Battlers’ balanced offensive arsenal has six players with 100 kills or more led by Caitlin Cain and Megan Christmann. Christmann averages almost three kills per set.
Either Ursuline or Alderson Broaddus will advance to the next round to face Ohio Valley.
Likewise, Kentucky Wesleyan had the upper hand against Trevecca in both meetings this year and both teams will battle it out for the right to face Cedarville on Friday in the semis. KWC has also won four of its last five coming into the postseason and features some heavy hitters up front in Dallas Zimmerman, Chelsea Brothers and Summer Alford.
Trevecca has been paced all year by sophomore Katelyn Atkinson, who averages over four kills per set, and Delaney Hearne with 2.44 kills per set, on the outside. The Trojans assembled a seven-match win streak in the early part of the season as well. Again, TU handed Cedarville its lone loss in the conference schedule.
The 2014 G-MAC All-Conference Volleyball Team and individual/coaching awards will also be announced this week.