MASON, Ohio – The field was trimmed from six to four following the completion of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship quarterfinals inside Mason Arena on Thursday evening.
Both No. 2 seeds advanced as Davis & Elkins beat No. 3 Ursuline and Trevecca Nazarene endured a five-set nailbiter to eliminate No. 3 Kentucky Wesleyan.
Friday’s semifinal dates are now finalized with D&E and TNU both advancing in the bracket. D&E will face No. 1 Cedarville at 5 p.m. and TNU is scheduled to play against No. 1 Alderson Broaddus at 7:30 p.m.
The Senators bounced back from a first-frame setback against Ursuline in the postseason opener, going the distance and then some to ice the Arrows in gutsy third and fourth-set efforts.
Elizabeth Estes led all players with 19 kills. Sasha Johnson added 13 and Devin Saucy contributed nine.
Senior setter Haylee Murray was credited with 51 assists while Zoe Craig and Ellie Drain each dug out 19 attack attempts from their opponent.
The final score for D&E defeating Ursuline was 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 27-25, 27-25).
The Trojans were facing the Panthers for the third time in the past 15 days and KWC was able to give TNU all it could handle.
Trevecca Nazarene jumped out to a 2-0 lead after wins in the first two sets, but the Panthers roared back to even it at 2-2, culminating with a 25-16 final in the fourth set.
The Trojans saved their best for last in the fifth set, riding the wave of a 7-1 run to get things started and eventually get past the opening round of the conference tournament.
G-MAC Co-Player of the Year Katelyn Atkinson had two blocks and multiple kills in the fifth and final set, taking over and eventually finishing with 20 kills.
She did become the G-MAC’s current all-time career leader in kills (1,265) this evening, surpassing Ohio Valley’s Alyx Henry, whose Fighting Scots are idle for the postseason.
Nikki Jenkins had 23 kills to lead all players on the floor for Kentucky Wesleyan. TNU freshman Clare Taylor had 22 to lead the Trojans while Atkinson nailed down 20. Senior Loren Bennett had 47 assists and 16 digs to lead her team in both categories.
The final score for TNU defeating Kentucky Wesleyan was 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 16-25, 15-6).