IRVING, Texas -- Behind a match-high 15 kills from junior Emily Marks, Southwestern University secured a 3-0 victory over SCAC Tournament debutant McMurry University in the 2024 SCAC Volleyball Tournament Quarterfinals Friday afternoon at the Ed Maher Athletic Center on the campus of the University of Dallas. Official Championships Website | Photo Album | Tournament Stats | Interview w/ Southwestern Head Coach Don Flora and junior Emily Marks
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Southwestern came out of the gate fast, securing a set one victory, 25-16, thanks in large part to a blistering .385 hitting percentage in the opening set.
- McMurry jumped out to a 4-1 lead to open the second set and led 17-14 late, but the Pirates closed on a 11-5 run to secure a second set win, 25-22.
- The Pirates closed out the match with 16 kills in the third set, their most in any set to win 25-19 and advance into the SCAC Semifinals.
- For the match, Southwestern hit a combined .203, while limiting the War Hawks to just .029. Southwestern finished with six services aces, while McMurry had two.
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Emily Marks: 15 kills, 3 block assists, 1 dig
- Christina Kuras: 10 kills, 2 digs, 1 block assist
- Geneva Nedrow: 14 digs, 9 assists
- Annika Flora: 19 assists, 12 digs, 1 kill
- Lauren McIntyre: 5 digs, 3 services aces 1 assist
- Carly Berkman: 9 kills, 3 digs, 1 block assist
MCMURRY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Addyson Tiffin: 6 kills, 1 solo block, 2 block assists
- Kendra Humphries: 6 kills, 2 digs, 1 block assist
- Ashlyn Quillan: 9 assists, 4 digs
- Hannah Page: 13 digs, 1 assist
- Jacee Dinkins: 8 digs, 3 kills, 1 assist
NOTABLES
- Southwestern improves to 48-21 all-time in the SCAC Tournament.
- Southwestern heads into the SCAC Semifinal for the 13th time in the last 14 Tournaments.
- McMurry finishes the season with an overall record of 14-15.
- The War Hawks, which joined the league prior to the 2024-25 year made their tournament debut this season, qualifying as the No. 3 seed out of the Blue Division.
UP NEXT
Southwestern (22-5) advances to take on St. Thomas in the SCAC Semifinals, who upset Colorado College earlier today, 4-1 to win its first SCAC Tournament game in program history. Southwestern is 1-0 all-time in SCAC Tournament history against UST defeating the Celts 4-1 in 2021 quarterfinals.
