CLARION SET TO TAKE ON LEES-MCRAE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

            The Clarion University women’s volleyball team will meet Lees-McRae (NC) at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Division II women’s volleyball tournament at California University of Pennsylvania’s Hamer Hall.

            The second seeded Golden Eagles (27-5) are making their second straight appearance in the NCAA tournament and there fifth trip to the championships in the last six years.

            “It is very exciting to be going to the NCAA Tournament,” Clarion’s first-year head coach Jennifer Harrison said. “It’s a testament to the hard work the team has put in throughout the season to make improvements in the way they perform and compete.”

            Clarion, which finished second at the PSAC Championships to California this past weekend, will be facing seventh-seeded Lees-McRae for the second time this season. The Golden Eagles toppled the Bobcats (26-11) 3-0 Sept. 8 at Lees-McRae.

            “In some ways it’s an advantage to play a team you have already played during the season,” Harrison said. “You’ve seen them and know what to expect. But we also beat them, and that can always be tough in terms of rising up to play a team that  you know you can beat.”

            Clarion is an upperclassmen heavy team with it top four or five players all in their final seasons with the team.

            Senior outside Christina Steiner leads the Golden Eagles in kills (448) and ranks second in the PSAC in kills per game with 4.35. Steiner is adding 404 digs (3.92 per game).

            Sarah Fries, a senior right-side hitter, is second on the team in kills (410) and ranks fourth in the PSAC in kills per game with 4.06. Fries is adding 317 digs (3.14).

            Junior Amanda Angermeier, a four-year player who red-shirted a couple of seasons ago, is third on the Golden Eagles with 269 kills (2.72) and stepped her game up at the PSAC Tournament last weekend averaging 3.82 kills per game.

            Running the offense is senior setter Kristi Fiorillo, who leads the PSAC in set assists per game (12.76) while adding 321 digs (3.09 per game).

            Senior Libero Vicky Gentile is the leader on the defense. The all-time digs leader in school history is second in the PSAC in digs per game (6.14) while recording a team-high 639 digs.

            Additional key players for the Golden Eagles are senior middle hitter Tressa Dvorsky (38 kills, 30 blocks), freshmen middle hitters Nicole Andrusz (1.75 kpg, 70 blocks) and Sarah Sheffield (1.16 kpg, 58 blocks), freshman outside hitter Leann Higginbotham (37 kills) and sophomore defensive specialist Katie Aurand (162 digs).

            Lees-McRae, the champion of the Conference Carolinas, is led on offense by Daviana Metti (4.06 kpg), Whitney Kiser (2.20 kpg) and Natalie Burns (1.65 kpg).

            Setting the Bobcats offense up is Lauren Decker (10.0 apg), while Kell Bogdan paces the Lees-McRae defense with 3.44 dpg. Usedom is adding 2.81 dpg, Lauren Dickover 2.44 dpg and Tracey Copley (2.30 dpg).

            If Clarion wins Thursday, it will take on the winner of the (3) Edinboro-(6) Slippery Rock game at 5 p.m. Friday at Cal. The Regional Championship game is set for 7 p.m. Saturday also at Cal.

            Host California is the top seed, followed by Clarion, Edinboro, Shippensburg, Kutztown, Slippery Rock, Lees-McRae and Fayetteville State.

            GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES – The second place finish at the PSAC Championships. It was the Golden Eagles top PSAC finish since taking second in 1989 … This will be the fourth time Clarion and Lees-McRae have met in the NCAA Playoffs. Lees-McRae got a 3-2 win over the Golden Eagles in 2002, a 3-0 win in 2003 and a 3-2 win in 2004 … Clarion is looking for its first NCAA Division II Tournament win. The Golden Eagles lost to Kutztown 3-0 in the opening round of the tournament a year ago … The 27 wins this season tie for the third most in school history and are the most for a first-year head coach at Clarion.