Nov. 4, 2006

LANCASTER, PA - Centennial Conference Player of the Year Margot Phelan recorded 17 kills and 25 digs, as the #1 seed Franklin & Marshall College volleyball team defeated #4 seed McDaniel College 3-1 (30-21, 31-33, 30-25, 34-32) in the semifinals of the 2006 Centennial Conference Championships at Mayser Center.

The Diplomats will face #3 seed Haverford College in the conference title match at Franklin & Marshall at 1:00 p.m. on November 5. Haverford upset #2 Gettysburg College 3-1 (30-25, 31-29, 30-28, 30-26) earlier in the day.

The tournament's champion will earn the Centennial Conference's automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA Division III tournament, with the regional round hosted at #1 nationally ranked Juniata College on November 9-11.

Franklin & Marshall is seeking its fifth CC title and seventh berth in the NCAA tournament, while Haverford is seeking its first CC crown.

In the first game of the match, the Diplomats dominated with a decisive 30-21 win. Phelan recorded six kills and took the team on a 5 point service run to push the Diplomats ahead 19-10 and eventually go up 1-0 in the match.

With the score knotted 15 times throughout the second game, both teams struggled to take a substantial lead. As middle blocker Taylor Herrgott of McDaniel recorded five kills, the Green Terror slipped passed the home team 33-31 to tie the match at one all.

F&M found its groove in the third game, as setter Valerie Pusateri recorded 12 assists to guide the Diplomat offense. Unable to pull ahead until Pusateri led F&M on a 3-0 service run towards the end of the match, the Diplomats pushed out of reach and went up 2-1 in the match.

In the final game, Phelan and right side hitter Erica Spangler rocked the Green Terror defense, as they recorded a combined nine kills. After falling behind 28-26, Phelan record three kills in four points to knot the game at 29-all. Despite a determined Green Terror effort, F&M squeezed ahead 34-32.

For the Diplomats, Spangler recorded a total of 16 kills, three assists, 20 digs, and one block assist, as Susan Taylor totaled 15 kills, five digs, and one block assist. Outside hitter Maritza Fair had 12 kills and three digs, and middle blocker Alexis Dansky had eight kills and three blocks (1 solo, one assisted) to round out the F&M offense.

On defense, libero Nicole Kushman grabbed 13 digs, while defensive specialist Jenna Walck tied Phelan for a team high 25 digs.

For McDaniel, outside hitter Katie Siebel led the offensive effort with 16 kills, one service ace, and 18 digs. Herrgott totaled 14 kills, one service ace, one dig, and three blocks (1 solo, 2 assisted), as Virginia Dale had five kills, two assists, and seven blocks (1 solo, 6 assisted).

On defense, libero Alice Hardwick recorded a match high 28 digs, as setter Jamie Bodden tallied 18 digs in addition to her 22 assists. Kristie Fourcade matched Bodden's effort, as she recorded 18 digs and 22 assists as well.

The Centennial Conference Championship match final will take place Sunday, Nov. 5, as Franklin & Marshall faces off against Haverford College at the Mayser Center at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free to the tournament and directions to Franklin & Marshall College are available online at www.centennial.org/championships/volleyball/.