ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Volleyball captured the Freedom Conference Championship for the seventh year in a row, defeating the DeSales University Bulldogs in three sets on Saturday night.
DeSales, who earlier this year became the first Freedom Conference team to take a set from Eastern, played Eastern close in the first and third sets. However, in the second set, the Eagles displayed just how dominant they can be. After winning set one 25-21, Eastern pummeled the Bulldogs 25-3 in the second set. Eastern clinched the championship with a 25-19 third-set win.
Eagles' sophomore libero Rylie Haas was named championship MVP after recording 21 digs. Her passing helped establish Rikki Schlager's setting game and an Eagles' offensive attack that hit .297. Eagles' setter Rikki Schlager complimented Haas' relentless pursuit of the ball. "Rylie stepped it up," she said. "She was on with her serve-receive and also digging. She just went for it on every ball; she didn't hold back."
Schlager, who was recently named Freedom Conference Player of the Year, dished out 31 assists and had seven kills on 10 attempts. Those seven kills are a season high for her. Schlager noted that going over the net on the second hit was something they had been practicing recently. "The passes were tight," she said. "They were good, so I had all the options because the passes were there."
Seniors Lauren Sproles and Katrina Pisch each recorded 10 kills, and junior Erin Hillman added nine kills. Sproles contributed 12 digs as well, and Miranda Kauffman, defensive specialist recorded 13.
The Eagles pulled away from DeSales in the first set after being tied at 20-20. Eagles' freshman and Freedom Rookie of the Year closed out the set with a powerful left-handed slam. The Eagles then carried out one of the fastest sets you'll ever see, obliterating the Bulldogs 25-3 in 12 minutes and 25 seconds (including two Bulldogs' timeouts). The Eagles hit .452 in the set and had Lauren Horst serve three aces. In set three, Eastern took the lead at 2-1 and held onto it the rest of the match.
The Eagles, conference champions for the seventh year in a row and the 17th time since joining the NCAA in 1992, will advance to the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. On Monday at 11 a.m., the NCAA will announce the results of the tournament seeding in the annual selection show.
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