Trinity Downs Austin College to Advance to SCAC Volleyball Tourney Final

Trinity Downs Austin College to Advance to SCAC Volleyball Tourney Final

SEGUIN, Texas - Trinity University held off a scrappy Austin College squad and advanced to tomorrow's championship final with a 3-1 victory over the 'Roos in Saturday's first semifinal of the 2019 SCAC Volleyball Tournament. Official Championships Website | Postgame Interview

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The first set was an epic back and forth between the two with 17 ties and six lead changes. Trailing 24-22, Austin College fought back to win five of the next six points to squeak out the 27-25 first set victory.
  • Trinity bounced back with a dominant second set, holding Austin to a minus .139 hitting percentage and taking the 25-13 victory to even the match at 1-1.
  • Austin College kept the third set much closer, but Trinity pulled away at 19-19 to take the 25-22 victory and go ahead 2-1 for the match. The Tigers hit .317 in the set.
  • Another tight set, with six ties and five lead changes, so Austin College serve for the match at 25-24 but Trinity reeled off four of the next five points to earn the 28-26 match-clinching set.

TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Avery Tuggle: 19 kills, 21 digs, 2 service aces, 2 block assists
  • Emily Ellis: 10 kills, 1 block solo, 1 block assists, 529 hitting percentage
  • Annie Rose Leggett: 10 kills, 2 service aces, 19 digs
  • Emma Funk: 8 kills, 4 block assists, 294 hitting percentage
  • Sarah Williammee: 9 kills, 5 digs, 3 block assists

AUSTIN COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Kynleigh Browne: 8 kills, 6 block assists
  • Christine Royalty: 7 kills, 3 block assists
  • Brooklyn Talley: 17 assists, 2 service aces, 7 digs
  • Karson Dykes: 9 kills, 1 block assist

NOTABLES

  • The 19 kills by Tuggle equaled her season-high. She also had 19 kills against Mary Hardin-Baylor in the team's second game of the season. Her 21 digs were a season-high and the second-most of her career.
  • Austin College will have a chance for its best tournament finish since the 2007 event when the 'Roos finished as runner-up to Trinity. Since then, Austin College has finished fourth in both 2012 and 2016.
  • This will be Trinity's 18th SCAC tournament final. The Tigers are 11-6 in their previous 17 appearances, and last won the tounament title in 2016.

UP NEXT 
Trinity (32-4) advances to take on the winner of Southwestern/Colorado College in tomorrow's championship match. That match is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. Austin College (17-22) will battle the loser of the SU/CC match in tomorrow's third place match, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT.