Statesmen Close 2022 in Heart Semifinals

Parkville, Mo.--The William Penn women's volleyball team made serious headway, but could not break through the wall as it fell 3-1 to #2 seed Park in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals Tuesday.

Third-seeded WPU (21-14), which lost by scores of 17-25, 25-21, 22-25, 17-25, was making its first appearance in the conference semifinals since 2010.

Outhit .189-.043 and a bit short in aces at 6-5, the Statesmen stayed in the match with 10.5 blocks (8.0 for the Pirates).

Tied 7-7 in the first set after an ace by Macy Bailey (Sr., Bondurant, Iowa, General Accounting), the visitors unfortunately permitted a trio of 3-0 runs by Park (26-4), which will now face #1 seed MidAmerica Nazarene in Saturday's finals.

The Statesmen recorded just five kills in the opening round, but rebounded well and had five winners in their first six points of the second set, finishing with 14 overall. WPU, which trailed 2-1, scored three in a row and never trailed again.

PU closed to within one at 21-20, but kills by Riley Hungate (Fr., Joliet, Ill., Business Management), Andressa Borges (So., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sports Management), and Alyssa Young (Sr., Winter Springs, Fla., Biology), and another ace by Bailey wrapped it up to knot the match at 1-1.

WPU's win awakened the hosts, however, as the Pirates rolled out to an 8-2 edge in the third. Still behind five at 20-15, the navy and gold clawed back, courtesy of two winners by Alyvia Johnson (So., Owatonna, Minn., Business Management) and another from Corrin Lepper (Sr., Jefferson City, Mo., Biology) to make it 21-20.

Unfortunately, the Pirates were too strong and took the advantage back at 2-1.

As it did in the first set, William Penn matched Park through the first 14 points of the fourth, but a 6-0 run dashed the team's hopes of advancing to the championship match.

Johnson topped the Statesmen with a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs. Hungate also hit double digits with 11 winners off the bench.

Bailey assisted on 20 points and also served up three aces, while Cecily Liphardt (Sr., Lincoln, Neb., Psychology and Business Management) and Caidince Cleveland (So., Bettendorf, Iowa, General Accounting) guided the back row with 18 and 17 digs, respectively.

Young was a presence at the defensive net with five block assists; four other players managed to be part of three blocks as well.

"While this was obviously not the way we wanted our season to end, we have so much to be proud of," Head Coach Lauren Eldridge said. "We accomplished a lot this season. We owe so much to our five seniors who helped us get the program to where it is today. A great group returns for us and I am so excited thinking about the future of this program."