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Women's Volleyball

Washington and Lee Lifts Third Straight ODAC Women's Volleyball Trophy

NCAA Selection Show Set for Monday at 1:00 p.m. ET

BRIDGEWATER, Va. --- Washington and Lee University completed a bumpy path to its third straight and ODAC-record 21st conference women's volleyball championship on Saturday afternoon, turning the No. 4 seed into a title-winning position with a 3-1 triumph at No. 3 Bridgewater College in Nininger Hall.

The win awards the Generals (23-9) automatic entry into the Division III Women's Volleyball Championship, which begins this coming week. The Eagles (21-8) are among several teams that await the updated NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings to see if they received one of 21 at-large bids into the 64-team field.

The selection show is slated for 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday on ncaa.com.

Saturday's ODAC final matchup was a turn to the deciding match for Bridgewater. The Eagles' program had not appeared in a match up with the league trophy on the line since 2007. Their opponent that season? Washington and Lee.

On this day, the Generals needed one extra set to defeat the Eagles than 18-year prior. WLU came out on top of a tight opening frame, 25-22, but BC ensured there would be no straight-sets encounter with a 25-19 win in set No. 2. Washington and Lee, however, put its foot down in the next two stanzas, outscoring the Eagles, 50-33 (25-16, 25-17) to lift the program's fifth trophy in the last six championship opportunities.

Outside hitter Grace Mitchener led the Generals with 17 kills to go with a team-best 23 kills. Fellow outsides Riley Debiec (12), Cara Hamil (11), and Emery Goerig (11) also reached double figures in kills. Setter Sienna Nichoson handed out 41 assists, while Mitchener accounted for four total blocks. Libero Vivi Vasquez had 18 digs with outside Emery Schellenberg adding 17.

Bridgewater outside Reagan Stoop led all players with 18 kills, while middle Faith DePew posted 16 winners. Middle Agnes Alford notched 12 kills on a .385 attack percentage to go with four total blocks. Setters Maya Veselinovic (25) and Lindsay Kelley (22) combined for 47 assists. Libero Anna Black posted a match-high 28 digs and defensive specialist Alexis Currie added 24.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
  • Lynchburg: Ava Meinhardt
  • Virginia Wesleyan: Niya Nash
  • Bridgewater: Gabby Atwell
  • Bridgewater: Faith DePew
  • Washington and Lee: Cara Hamil
  • Washington and Lee: Grace Mitchener
  • Washington and Lee: Sienna Nichoson