Lock Haven Rallies to Eliminate IUP from NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament; Gates, Bixler Named to All-Tournament Team

Boxscore

IUP built a 2-1 lead before host Lock Haven rallied for a 3-2 win in a semifinal match at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional volleyball tournament at Thomas Fieldhouse.

The Lady Eagles won by scores of 30-24, 28-30, 27-30, 30-25, 15-6.  IUP had cut a 23-16 deficit down to 23-20 in the fourth game with a chance to wrap up the match, but Lock Haven held on to force a deciding fifth game.

The Indians, seeking their third trip to the regional championship match in the past five years, finish their season with a record of 25-11. 

Lock Haven (32-5), the top-seeded team in the tournament, will play upstart Lees-McRae (29-10) on Saturday night for a berth in the Elite Eight.  Lees-McRae, the seventh seed, beat Edinboro in the first semifinal.

Lock Haven, ranked 19th in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, is aiming for its third straight regional crown.

Michelle Jones led IUP with 16 kills and four blocks while Brittany Gates gave the Indians a pair of players in double figures in kills with 10.  Gates and Trisha Gerus both had five blocks, with Gerus adding eight kills, the same total as Kelly Wolff.

Heather Bauer led IUP with six blocks.  Alicia Koches had 44 assists, 11 digs and six kills.  Jill Bixler (19) and Wolff (13) also reached double digits in digs.  Krista Nordby had eight digs and five assists.

Gates and Bixler were named to the 10-member all-tournament team at the conclusion on Saturday night.

Li YiZhi, the PSAC West Athlete of the Year, had 25 kills and 18 digs for Lock Haven.  Inga Kurgonaite had 19 kills and Michelle Deehan added 12.

The winner of the Atlantic Regional joins the champions of the seven other regional tournaments at the Elite Eight, which gets under way December 1 at a site to be determined.