NOVEMBER 9, 2002
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S VOLLEYBALL CAPTURES FREEDOM CONFERENCE CROWN
WITH 3-0 SWEEP OF LYCOMING
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College women's
volleyball team capped its magical season with a championship effort as
the Lady Monarchs posted a 3-0 victory over Lycoming College to capture
the MAC Freedom Conference title.
King's, which won by scores of 30-25, 30-20, 30-27,
earned its second berth in three years to the NCAA Division III National
Championships while improving its record to 38-1, the best in all of
Division III. Lycoming ended its season at 17-11.
In the first game, King's trailed 22-18 but the Lady
Monarchs went on a 7-2 spurt to take a 25-24 lead on kills by Jill Leibman
and Jessica McVey. After Lycoming scored to tie the game at 25-25, King's
closed out with a 5-0 run which was ignited by a block point by Annie German.
In the second game King's fell behind 6-2 but a 10-3
run enabled the Lady Monarchs to take a 12-10 lead. Leibman led the spurt
with a pair of service aces while Faith O'Dell slammed two kills for the
Lady Monarchs. King's would extend its lead to 16-11 on a kill by McVey
and a block by Leibman but Lycoming would close to within 16-14. The Lady
Monarchs then exploded for a 11-3 run to take a commanding 27-17 lead on
consecutive kills by Katie Baffone, a service ace and kill from McVey, and
kills by Stephanie Spencer and German. With a 29-20 lead, Leibman
closed out the second game with a kill to put the Lady Monarchs on top
2-0.
"I was very happy with the way we finished the
first game and when we came out and controlled the second game like we
did, I felt there was no denying us," King's coach Bernie Kachinko
stated. "We were really pushed in the first game and did not lose our
composure and that gave us a big lift in confidence."
In game-three, King's built a 12-8 lead but Lycoming
fought back and took a 14-13 lead after a 6-1 spurt. the teams traded
points and with the squads tied at 17-17, Spencer and McVey posted
consecutive kills to put King's ahead 19-17. The Lady Monarchs would
extend the lead to 24-21 but Lycoming again rallied and went on a 5-0 run
to go on top 26-25. King's would then string together a 3-0 spurt to take
a 28-26 lead but the Warriors scored to cut the margin to 28-27. After the
Lady Monarchs took a 29-27 lead after a Warrior hitting error, Spencer put
the game away with a cross-court kill to give King's championship point.
"We played really well and I think it was the
best match we played all year," Leibman stated. "Our experience
really helped as we were able to keep our cool and play our game and not
let nerves get to us. It is an awesome feeling to go back to nationals and
this is my last year so all the seniors really want to go out with a
bang."
German topped the squad with 11 kills, eight service
points, and four blocks while O'Dell added 10 kills and 14 digs. Leibman
registered seven kills and seven blocks with six service points while
McVey added seven kills, 21 digs, six service points, and four blocks.
Baffone distributed 33 assists, Katie Carr chipped in with 13 service
points, while Spencer added four kills to the Lady Monarch cause.
"This is what we strived for all season-long
and it is the greatest feeling in the world," Baffone said of winning
the conference title. "I was on the team in 2000 that went to
nationals and to go back in my last year is the best feeling ever."
King's will now await word on its NCAA Tournament
foe as the team will compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships at
a site to be announced.
