ST. DAVIDS, Pa.— For the fourth time in the team's five years in the league, Eastern University Women's Volleyball will host the Stevenson University Mustangs in a MAC Commonwealth Championship Match. The league's top two seeds will meet at The Nest at 3:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.
Eastern (23-7) earn the top seed with a four-set win at Stevenson late int he year. The Eagles dropped their league-opener at Widener before closing out the league season with six wins.
This year's Eastern squad features several new players and some experienced ones who have moved into new roles.
On the court,
Hannah Pringle has not seen her role change too much. Although she has had to play six rotations on occasion, her main job has remained the same. She puts balls away. Pringle is averaging a league-best 4.22 kills per set and is hitting at a career-best .283 clip. Earlier this year, she became just the fourth player in program history with over 1500 kills in her career.
With the Eagles losing six four-year starters amongst their eight seniors, Pringle and fellow senior
Viviana Fragoso have had to move into leadership roles on and off the floor. Like Pringle, Fragoso has risen to the challenge.
After playing in a defensive specialist role for her first three seasons, Fragoso has moved into the libero spot where she continues to lead Eastern's serve receive and has recorded nearly 4.6 digs per set. With a 3-to-1 ace-to-error ratio, her serving is consistent and dangerous. She is one of only two players int he league with 60 aces. Junior
Grace Cooper and first year
Emma Ciesielka contribute in the back row and have given the Eagles a consistent serve-receive.
Sarah Furey and
Kallie Rogers have split the setting duties and helped the Eagles to a league-best .230 team hitting percentage. Much of Eastern's attack runs through the outsides.
Alexis Standford, a junior transfer, is second in the MAC Commonwealth with 3.23 kills per set. As the season has progressed, Eastern's middle hitters and right sides are getting more attempts and finishing.
Jessie Schreiber is averaging over two points per set, and
Veronica Faber is second in the league with 101 blocks.
The Mustangs (17-13) advanced to the Championship match with a 3-1 win over Messiah. After dropping the opening set, their offense started to click. Stevenson hit .70 with only six errors over the final three sets to advance.
Rachel Lenz finished with a match-high 18 kills and hit .400 with five blocks and 15 digs. Giulia Viglietta had 14 kills and Logan Burge had 10 kills and four blocks. Courtney Foose had 25 assists and Declyn Tooze had 20. Lenz and Viglietta both average around 2.7 kills per set and Burge leads the league with 105 blocks.
Viglietta, right-side Maren Zepfel, and defensive specialist Isabella Terra are the only three current Mustangs who saw action in the program's last Championship game appearance. Stevenson Head Coach Emma Lorenzen is in her second year.
Only Fragoso, Pringle, and Cooper saw time in Eastern's last Championship run, but for Birtwistle, this is his 30th conference championship match. Under his leadership, the Eagles have won 24 league titles across three different conferences.
Before Eastern came into the league, the Mustangs won eight-straight MAC Commonwealth titles. Eastern won the next three before Messiah beat the Eagles in five sets last year.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors. Students from MAC institutions are free with ID.
Those looking to come to the match can purchase tickets in advance here.
The match starts at 3 pm. Those not able to attend live can follow the action on MAC TV.
The winner of tomorrow's match will secure the league's AQ to the NCAA Tournament.
