Box Score ASHLAND, Ohio. – The Trevecca Nazarene University volleyball team (21-12, 11-6 Great Midwest) lost to Hillsdale College (26-6, 16-2 Great Midwest) in the Great Midwest Championship match 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-11) on Saturday afternoon.
THE SERIES
The Chargers defeated the Trojans for the second time this season and for the 10th time in the all-time series. Hillsdale joined the Great Midwest prior to the 2017 season and has never lost the Great Midwest Athletic Conference trophy since competing in the league. They secured their sixth conference title tonight.
THE FLOW
The Trojans enjoyed some early success taking as much as a two-point lead behind a pair of service aces at 4-2. However, the Chargers found their stride and used a 5-1 run to lead 7-5. They would never trail again. Hillsdale finished off the opener 25-17.
Hilldale took the first five points of the second set and really showed its offensive firepower from there. The Trojans pulled within five at 10-5 and 16-11, but a quick 6-0 from the Chargers gave the six-time defending conference champions a commanding 22-11 advantage. Hillsdale won the second, 25-13.
Rinse and repeat for the third set. The Chargers grabbed an early 6-0 lead and cruised in the third. An Emma Titus kill at 10-8 pulled the Trojans within two causing the Chargers to call a timeout. The stop in play made way for a 4-0 run by Hillsdale who went on to win the set, 25-11.
THE NOTES
The Trojans made the Championship match for the first time since the 2015 season and for the third time overall in the Great Midwest era. With last night's win over Tiffin, the Trojans secured their fourth 20-win season in the NCAA era and the first since the 2015 team made the NCAA Regionals.
Ellie Buffler finished off her career with 13 kills to lead the Trojans adding six digs while hitting .250. Emilee McDonald, who crossed over 1,000 career assists with her performance last night against the Dragons, collected 20 assists tonight.
SEASON NOTES
The 21-win season is the second-most wins by a Trojan team in the NCAA D2 Era. The last 20-win team was the 2015 NCAA Midwest Regional team. The last Trojan team, and only NCAA D2 Era team, with more than 21 wins in a season is the 23-win 2012 team. A team that finished second in the Great Midwest and were also the conference tourney runner-up.
The 11-6 Great Midwest record is the first double-digit win season in the D2 Era. The last Trojan squad with 11 conference wins is the 2009 team.
Emily Moore is 62-48 overall through four seasons at the helm of the program. Her conference record is 32-24. She is 3-4 in postseason games.
UP NEXT
The loss disqualifies the Trojans from receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional tournament. The Trojans will wait to hear if they receive an automatic bid to future postseason competition.
TREVECCA'S HISTORY @ GREAT MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
| 2012 |
3-2 W |
Urbana |
Semifinals |
| |
3-1 L |
Cedarville |
Finals |
| 2013 |
3-0 W |
Ursuline |
Quarterfinals |
| |
3-1 L |
Ky Wesleyan |
Semifinals |
| 2014 |
3-0 L |
Ky Wesleyan |
Quarterfinals |
| 2015 |
3-0 W |
Ky Wesleyan |
Quarterfinals |
| |
3-0 W |
Alderson Broaddus |
Semifinals |
| |
3-0 W |
Cedarville |
Finals * |
| 2016 |
3-1 L |
Ursuline |
Quarterfinals |
| 2019 |
3-2 L |
Walsh |
Quarterfinals |
| 2020 |
3-1 L |
Walsh |
Quarterfinals |
| 2021 |
3-1 W |
Walsh |
Quarterfinals |
| |
3-0 L |
Hillsdale |
Semifinals |
| 2022 |
3-0 W |
Cedarville |
Quarterfinals |
| |
3-1 W |
Tiffin |
Semifinals |
| |
3-0 L |
Hillsdale |
Finals |
*Great Midwest Champions, advance to Midwest Region
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