GEORGETOWN, Texas -- Top-seeded Trinity University advanced to its record 22nd SCAC Volleyball title match after sweeping fifth-seeded Schreiner University, 3-0, in Friday's first semifinal match at Corbin J. Robertson Center on the campus of Southwestern. Official Championships Website | Photo Album | Tournament Stats | Interview w/ Trinity Head Coach Julie Jenkins and senior outside hitter Mackenzie Logan and graduate setter Marisa Amarino
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trinity held off Schreiner in a very well-played opening set, as the Tigers barely outhit the Mountaineers, .375 to .324, to take the 25-21 first set victory.
- From there, the pathway to victory became a little easier as Trinity cruised to 25-16 and 25-17 second and third set victories to advance to Saturday's title match.
- The second set was tied at 10 when Trinity scored 15 of the next 21 points to pull away and take the 2-0 lead.
- Trinity opened an 11-2 lead to start the third set and Schreiner never got closer than four points the rest of the way.
- After committing just three attacking errors in the opening set, Schreiner had 15 over the final two sets compared to eight for Trinity.
- For the match, Trinity hit .291 compared to .147 for Schreiner.
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Mackenzie Logan: 11 kills, 3 digs, 1 block solo, 1 block assist
- Maddie Fate: 9 kills, .533 attack percentage, 1 block solo, 4 block assists
- Marisa Amarino: 25 assists, 10 digs
- Reagan Whatley: 6 kills, 10 digs, 1 block assist
- Courtney Pope: 5 kills, 3 block assists
- Brette Thornton: 5 kills, 2 block assists
SCHREINER UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Brooke Byer: 9 kills, 1 service ace, 10 digs, 2 block assists
- Giana Hilliard: 7 kills, 6 digs, 1 block assist
- Haley Rodriguez: 7 kills, 2 digs, 2 block assists
- Mia Moreno: 14 assists, 1 kill, 2 digs
NOTABLES
- Friday's match was the third meeting between the two schools in less than two weeks. Trinity picked up 3-0 regular season wins over the Mountaineers on Oct. 28 and Nov. 2.
- Friday's semifinal match was just the second matchup between Schreiner and Trinity in the conference tournament - Trinity defeated Schreiner 3-0 in the opening round of the 2020-21 championship, which was played in the spring due to the COVID pandemic.
- Trinity will return to the SCAC title match for a record 22nd time. In those 21 previous appearances, the Tigers are 13-8 having last won the tournament title in 2021.
- Schreiner ends its season with a 20-13 mark, the program's most wins in a single season since joining the SCAC prior to the 2013 season. The last time a Schreiner volleyball program won 20+ games was 2001 when the Mountaineers went 20-12.
UP NEXT
Trinity (27-4 overall) advances to the 2023 SCAC Championship where they will take on the winner of this evening's second semifinal between Texas Lutheran and Colorado College. Tomorrow's championship match is scheduled to start at 11 am CT. The winner of the championship match will earn the SCAC's automatic qualifier to the 2023 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship.
