Stevenson University Wins South Men's Volleyball Championship
(Courtesy of Stevenson University Sports Information)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Led by Most Outstanding Player, freshman
Adam Thatcher (Bel Air/C. Milton Wright), the Stevenson men's
volleyball team captured the first postseason championship in
program history, defeating NECVA Metro Division rival Ramapo for
the second time this season, 23-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-20, 15-12
Saturday at Owings Mills Gymnasium.
The championship culminates a record-setting season for the
Mustangs (26-7) who set a school record for wins for the second
time in the last three seasons. It is also the second for the
school this year after the men's soccer team also won the ECAC
Division III South Championship in November.
Stevenson, who improved its record to 4-0 five-set games this
season, posted its second victory in three games this season versus
Ramapo after not having beaten the Roadrunners in four previous
meetings entering 2011.
Thatcher totaled a career-high 21 digs in the title game and
finished the tournament with 31 after posting 10 versus Hunter in
the semifinals. He led the team with 249 digs this season.
The NECVA Metro Division rivals went back-and-forth in a
championship game that featured 31 ties and six lead changes.
Freshman Austin Jacoby (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge), the NECVA
Rookie of the Year, totaled a game-high 19 kills to lead four
Mustangs who had 10 or more.
Freshman Kalani Soeda (Kaneohe, Hawaii/LeJardin Academy) added 13
kills to go along with eight digs while freshman Eddy Klepper
(Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) had 11 kills and nine total
blocks. Freshman Jon Martin (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) totaled 10 kills
and nine digs. Sophomore Kyle Diller (Chambersburg,
Pa./Chambersburg) totaled a career-high 54 assists in the victory
to go along with three kills, nine digs and four block assists.
After dropping the first set, the Mustangs edged out a 25-22
victory in the second which saw 15 ties and three lead changes. The
team totaled 20 of its 62 kills in the second, including eight from
Jacoby, and posted a .485 hitting percentage.
As a team, Stevenson had 25 total blocks with 14 coming over the
final two sets as the team rallied from a 2-1 deficit.
Jeff Jones led Ramapo (18-13) with a game-high 19 kills. He also
added six digs. Paul Konopacki added a double double with 16 kills
and 11 digs while Kevin McNerney had a team-high 19 digs for the
Roadrunners who have won four ECAC South Championships in 2003,
2005, 2006 and 2007.
Stevenson advanced to its second ECAC South Championship final in
the last three years after defeating Hunter (19-17) in the
semifinals, 25-22, 21-25, 25-15, 25-21. It was the second win in as
many games against the Hawks this season for the Mustangs who were
led by 14 kills from Jacoby.
Martin and Soeda had 12 kills each as the first-year trio totaled
38 of the team's 48 kills. Diller totaled 41 assists, 10 digs and
six block assists. Klepper had six kills and six block assists.
South
Bracket
Results:
Semifinal Round –
Saturday, April 9 (at Stevenson
University)
Ramapo College defeated Bard College, 3-0 (25-17) (25-16) (30-28)
Stevenson University defeated Hunter College, 3-1 (25-22) (21-25) (25-15) (25-21)
Championship
Game – Saturday, April 9 (at Stevenson
University)
Stevenson University defeated Ramapo College, 3-2 (23-25) (25-22) (19-25) (26-19) (15-12)
