CLARION LOSES 3-2 IN NCAA REGIONAL FIRST ROUND

INDIANA – Lees-McRae rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Clarion 3-2  in the opening round of the NCAA Atlantic Region playoffs Thursday night at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Clarion (31-5) won the first game 30-22 but Lees-McRae (28-15) came back to win the second game 30-28. The Golden Eagles went back ahead after winning game three 30-22. The Bobcats rallied to win the final to games 31-29 and 15-12.

“We are disappointed with the end result of our season,” Clarion head coach Tracey Fluharty said. “But when you put the season in perspective it was a great year. We set the school record for wins and qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time. Hopefully this loss will make us hungrier to return to not only this point but beyond next season.”

Melanie Bull paced the Golden Eagles with 20 kills and 14 digs, while Beth Stalder, the lone senior on the squad, had 11 kills. Tonya Zatko added 10 kills and eight blocks.

Setter Jackie Hill had 45 set assists and 14 digs, while Libero Laurie Hepler (Cochranton) had 18 digs. Colleen Sherk had seven kills and eight digs.

“We will miss our senior Beth Stalder,” Fluharty said. “But we have a strong nucleus coming back.”

Jill Morrison led Lees-McRae with 28 kills and 11 digs. Tatiana Morrison had 14 kills and nine digs, and AD Hunt had 11 kills.