WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet University women's volleyball team will have the chance to defend its United East Conference title after a semifinal sweep at home on Tuesday night in the Field House.
Gallaudet (29-4), the top-seed in the United East tournament, swept fourth-seed Penn State Harrisburg, 25-20, 25-13, 25-14 before a crowd of 241.
The Bison will be going after their 10th conference championship since it joined the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) in 2010 and the third under the United East umbrella. Gallaudet is 9-1 all-time in NEAC/United East championship matches, including winning seven straight when it joined the NEAC.
This will be the first time Gallaudet hosts a conference championship match since 2014.
The 2024 United East women's volleyball championship match will take place this Saturday, Nov. 16, at 5 p.m. in the Field House.
GU will face a familiar foe in second-seed Lancaster Bible College (25-6) after the Chargers defeated third-seed St. Mary's College of Maryland (18-11) in straight sets in the other Tuesday night semifinal.
Gallaudet got off to a sluggish start against the Lions from Penn State Harrisburg (18-8) as the Bison only posted a .140 hitting percentage and made eight attack errors in the first set.
The Bison regrouped in the second and third sets and demonstrated why they are ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division III for service aces and one of the top teams in hitting percentage and kills.
Sophomore outside hitter
Brielle Worley (Amarillo, Texas) recorded seven of her game-high 16 kills in the second set. Worley finished the match with .414 hitting percentage on 29 swings and four errors to go with nine digs, two service aces and one block solo. Worley leads NCAA Division III in points (605) and kills (538).
Senior opposite
Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) was the second-leading hitter with 10 kills while fellow senior middle hitter
Anya Pothorski (Columbus, Ohio) recorded a season-high nine kills on 10 swings and one error (.800 hitting percentage).
Junior outside hitter
Citrine Lummer (Frederick, Md.) chipped in eight kills, nine digs and a match-high four service aces.
Junior setter
Ella Gamble (Cullowhee, N.C.) passed out 38 assists, made nine digs and served up two aces. Gamble leads NCAA Division III in aces (118) and aces per set (1.04). Fellow junior libero
Nicole Hicks (Corona, Calif.) came up with a match-high 22 digs and a career best seven assists in the win.
Penn State Harrisburg was led by Brianna Ondishin Ribon and Camryn Wettstone who recorded five kills each. Lions libero Julia Choe had a team-high 14 digs in the loss. The Lions are one of only three teams that have been able to push the Bison to five sets in a match this season. GU escaped Middletown, Pa., with a 3-2 win back on Oct. 15.
Gallaudet has won 21 straight matches since Sept. 19. The program record is 24 consecutive wins when the 1995 team began the season 24-0 but one of those wins was against a junior college.
UP NEXT
Gallaudet will host Lancaster Bible for a second time this season as the two teams met back on Oct. 23 where the Bison defeated the Chargers in straight sets on Padden Court. LBC is 7-1 since it lost to Gallaudet. The Bison are 16-0 at home this season.
This will be the first time Gallaudet has faced Lancaster Bible in the championship match. GU is 4-0 all-time against the Chargers in the playoffs. Last year, GU defeated LBC in straight sets in the Volt Division Final to advance to the United East championship match.
Overall, GU is 15-2 all-time against Lancaster Bible since 2011.
