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RADNOR, Pa. – After a one-year hiatus, the Cabrini volleyball team returned to the top of the Colonial States Athletic Conference with tonight's 3-1 win over Neumann University in the conference championship match. The victory improves the Cavaliers to 29-4 on the season and sends the club back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history.
The title is the Blue and White's fourth all-time, all coming in the last five seasons. Cabrini earned championship victories in 2009, 2010 and 2011 before losing last season's championship match at Neumann in five sets.
Though the Cavaliers took an early lead in the opening set, the Knights remained close. Neumann took its first lead of the match at 13-12 before building its lead to 19-15. Cabrini got as close as 19-18 before Neumann pulled away for a 25-22 win in the opening set, the first set the Cavaliers dropped to a CSAC opponent this season.
The second set played out much like the first. Cabrini held a slim lead throughout the set but each point seemed sway the set's momentum. The knights got as close as 18-17 but the Blue and White won seven of the next eight points, including four kills by senior
Danielle Carrozza and a pair of service aces by fellow senior
Michele Fitz, to even the match at one set each with a 25-18 win.
Unlike the first two sets, the Cavaliers began to pull away early in the third set, building a 10-6 lead. Cabrini never allowed Neumann to make a run in the set, claiming the stanza by a 25-16 score.
Both teams took the court with renewed life, Neumann playing to stay alive and Cabrini looking to end the match. Control of the scoreboard went back and forth, as did the crowd's cheers. The set featured 12 lead changes and 11 ties, the last coming at 14-14.
Four consecutive Neumann attack errors allow the Cavaliers to build an 18-14 lead. The Knights eventually cut their deficit to 21-20 but the Cavaliers won four of the next five points to secure the match with a 25-21 win in the fourth set.
Senior
Sophia Sokolovich earned Most Valuable Players honors with a team high 18 digs. Carrozza tallied her 12th double-double of the season with 24 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore
Jen Grenauer added 13 kills.
Sophomore
Cassidy Koenig recorded 49 assists on the day, her ninth match with at least 40 assists and fourth in a row. Freshman
Kelly Guarino scored 10 digs, while Fitz added four solo blocks.
Junior Kelsey D'Imperio and senior Katelin Kuklentz combined for 27 kills for Neumann (22-14), while sophomore Julia Malseed tallied a match high 23 digs and freshman Kat Wolf 43 assists.
The Cavaliers must now wait for Monday's NCAA Selection Show to learn their opponent in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The show can be seen on Monday at 11:00 a.m. at NCAA.com.