BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) women's court volleyball team finished another successful season with a hard-fought 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-18) loss to the host Lynn University Fighting Knights in the de Hoernie Sports & Cultural Center at the opening round of the 2019 NCAA Division II South Region Championship Tournament on Thursday night.
SHC found itself trailing just 11-8 in the early going of the first set, but an 8-3 run by Lynn put the Badgers into a late 19-11 hole. Following a time out by Spring Hill, the Badgers clawed back to within 21-16, but Lynn's defense set up three consecutive attack errors by the visitors as well as a set-sealing service ace by the Knights at 25-16.
In the second set, the Badgers took a 6-5 lead and maintained a 9-8 lead before Lynn fought out to a 13-11 advantage. SHC knotted the set at 13-13 and then grabbed a 17-16 lead. The Knights battled back to take a 19-18 lead that soon grew to 22-19 with the finish line tape in sight. Lynn would get to the line first in a 25-21 decision.
Lynn wasted no time by running out to a 12-5 lead in the third and final set in route to closing out the set, the match and the Badger season with a 25-18 victory.
The tournament's top-seeded Knights (28-4) earned a .343 (48-11-108) attack percentage versus the 8
th-seeded Badgers defense that made 6 blocks with 37 digs while allowing 4 service aces.
On the other side of the net, Spring Hill's offense was held to a .167 (33-16-102) attack percentage with 2 aces against a Lynn defense that recorded 6 blocks and 45 digs.
Junior outside hitter
Allison Weimer of Covington, La. tallied 11 kills and a .292 (11-4-24) attack percentage for the Badgers. Senior
Sarah Senft from Spring Grove, Pa. scooped in 9 digs and senior setter
Emmarose Neibert of Arnold, Mo. distributed 29 assists. Senior outside hitter
Taylor Hurst of Gulf Shores, Ala., participated in 3 blocks (2-1).
The Badgers finished the year with a 34-5 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), earning both the conference regular season and tournament titles for the second consecutive season. Along the way, the Badgers won 33 consecutive matches and head coach
Peggy Martin became college volleyball's all-time wins leader with a current count of 1,375 career victories.
