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EAST STROUDSBURG – An electric crowd inside Koehler Fieldhouse saw the East Stroudsburg University women's volleyball team record its first PSAC Volleyball Championship victory since 2004 as the Warriors defeated Seton Hill 3-1 (28-26, 29-27, 23-25, 26-24) on Tuesday night.
 
ESU (27-6) made its second-straight appearance in the PSAC Volleyball Championship after qualifying for the tournament in 2018. The Warriors advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2004 as ESU will look to avenge a 3-2 loss against Shippensburg, who they will face on Friday at a time to be determined later.
 
The semifinals and PSAC Championship game will be hosted by Gannon on Friday and Saturday as the Golden Knights won their quarterfinal matchup and are the highest remaining seed in the tournament.
 
"That was the epitome of a playoff match! It was back and forth the entire time, the defense on both sides was great and it was a really fun atmosphere to be in", noted ESU head coach Kevin Rodgers. "It really could've gone either way, but our players fought the entire time to pull it out."
 
"We were down 16-8 in the fourth set, but always believed that we could win," Rodgers went on to say. "I'm so proud of how our players fought during the entire match. Those are the types of games I love to coach."
 
ESU had four different players record double-digit kills in the match as senior Sam Dunphy led the way with 15. Senior Sarah Smith tallied 12, while senior Jasmine Williams and sophomore Jasmine Mooney added 11 and 10. Redshirt junior Trea-sure Ketter matched her single-game record for the Warriors with her second 12-block performance this season.
 
Sophomore Emily Meredith tallied a match-high 33 digs, while Smith and freshman Rachel Cain recorded double-doubles for ESU. Cain delivered a match-high 47 assists to go along with 18 digs. The match featured 42 tie scores and saw 22 lead changes, including nine in the first set and six in the third set.
 
Trailing 11-10 in the opening set, ESU used a 4-0 rally to take a 14-11 lead as Ketter and Dunphy highlighted the run with a block. Seton Hill scored three unanswered points to gain a 20-18 advantage in the set as ESU used a timeout to try and stop the momentum. A 3-0 rally allowed the Warriors to take a 24-23 lead as an attacking error forced the Griffins to use a timeout.
 
Seton Hill used a kill by Erin Parks followed by a bad set from ESU to gain a 26-25 edge. The Warriors called a timeout and would rally for three unanswered points to secure the set 28-26 and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
ESU looked to be in complete control of the second set as a 4-0 run increased the Warriors' lead to 23-18 following a kill from Dunphy. The Griffins countered with a 6-0 run to take a 24-23 lead and force the Warriors to use both of their timeouts. The Warriors rallied late in a set again as a 27-26 deficit turned into a 29-27 victory following a 3-0 run that would be capped by a block from Ketter and Dunphy.
 
Seton Hill would do its best to try and send the match to a fifth set as the Griffins opened a 6-2 edge before taking a 10-4 advantage against the Warriors. ESU trailed 16-8 in the set before it would turn things around and start to build momentum. Trailing 22-18, the Warriors used a 4-0 run to knot the score 22-22.
 
A solo block from Dunphy followed by a kill from Mooney would give the Warriors a 24-23 lead. The Warriors completed the comeback in the set and secured the match victory with a kill from Williams and an attacking error by the Griffins notch the 26-24 win.
 
"Our middles were a big reason why we won. Trea and Jasmine finished with hitting percentages above their season average and Trea was a wall on the net. Without them, I'm not sure if we could've pulled it out. Rachel did a great job with her decision making tonight. She found who was hot and kept feeding them."
 
Admission for all PSAC Volleyball Championship matches will be $10 for adults and $5 for children. There is no admission charge for students with a valid I.D. from a PSAC school or those with a PSAC Pass.