LANCASTER, PA- The University of Valley Forge women's volleyball team accomplished something on Saturday, October 25, that had never happened in program history.  The Lady Patriots swept the Cairn University Highlanders, 3-0.  With the victory the women moved on to the NCCAA II East Region Championship against Lancaster Bible College.  Despite their best efforts, the Lady Patriots couldn't overcome the power of the Chargers and fell, 0-3, and were named East Region Runner-up.

Traveling to Lancaster Bible College, the Lady Patriots, seeded third, were scheduled to face the second seed, Cairn Highlanders in the NCCAA II East Region Semi-finals.  The teams had met twice earlier in the season and each time the Highlanders defeated the Lady Patriots in three straight sets.  Something felt different about this game though, a determination and energy among the Lady Patriots that hadn't been felt all season. 

The first set was tight as the two teams stayed within arms reach of each other.  The Lady Patriots went on a 5-1 run with a mix of kills and aces to build a buffer between the teams and go up, 13-8.  Valley Forge continued to hold a solid five point lead until they hit their 21^s points, 21-16.  Then it was the Lady Highlander's turn to go on a small run, getting within one point of Valley Forge, 20-21.  The rallies went back and forth until the teams were tied, 23-23.  On the receiving end of the serve, the Lady Patriots put a perfect play together allowing Gabrielle Martin to lay down the ball for a kill, 24-23.  Aubrie McQuown put the set to rest with a service ace to grab the 25^th point! 

The Highlanders jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second set but the wave of momentum was riding too hard in the direction of the Lady Patriots.  Resetting themselves, the women pressed hard and took the lead 9-8 and controlled the rest of the game!  Valley Forge took set two by a final score of 25-18.

Set three started off with high energy as Madison Arrowsmith gave the Lady Patriots the first point of the set with a kill, followed by a service ace from Olivia Wireman.    The Highlanders and Lady Patriots wrestled back and forth to advance a lead and tied, 7-7, but everything continued to work in favor of the Lady Patriots as the team seemed almost unstoppable.  The combination of Olivia Wireman and Gabrielle Martin catapulted the team forward with a convincing 25-15 set and match victory!

Shelby Shepherd ended with game with seven kills, zero errors, one solo block and two block assists.

Olivia Wireman finished with 31 assists, six aces, two kills and one block assist.  Gabrielle Martin notched nine kills, five digs and two block assists, while Madison Arrowsmith and Kayleigh Smith grabbed six kills a piece. 

The Lady Patriots didn't have much time to celebrate as they headed straight into the NCCAA II East Region Championship game!  It was the first time the women's volleyball team has competed in the championship game since 2007. 

Unfortunately, with so much energy and push for the semi-final game, the Lady Patriots appeared to be running on fumes competing against Lancaster Bible College.   The women fell behind early against the Chargers in set one, falling 4-9.  Getting their second wind, the Lady Patriots strung together four points and got within reach of the Chargers, 8-9.  That's as close as the teams would get in the set as the Chargers moved forward with their lead and controlled the remainder of the set with a final score of 25-16.

Set two started off in favor of the Lady Patriots as the women grabbed an early 5-1 lead!  They kept it only momentarily as the power of the Chargers front line brought the host school back into the lead, 8-7.  From there a string of strategic serves from the Chargers scrambles the Lady Patriots' system.  The women couldn't recover and gave up set two, 14-25.  Set three revealed an exhausted Valley Forge team as various errors and the inability to finish the ball off put the set and match out of reach.  The women attempted gave one last push at the end, extending the rallies but it wasn't enough as the set ended, 9-25, in favor of the Chargers.

In the loss, Brittany Eberly recorded 19 digs, one ace and one kill.  Olivia Wireman notched 13 assists, nine digs and two aces.  Shelby Shepherd walked away with four kills while Gabrielle Martin was held to just three kills.

The women finish their overall season with a record of 15-11. 

Congratulations on being named the NCCAA II East Region Runner-up!

Go Patriots!