Date Posted: 11/17/2007

MACON, Ga. – Nerves were not an issue in the Lady Bisons first Atlantic Sun Conference Volleyball Championship match Saturday afternoon, as fourth-seeded Lipscomb swept past third-seed Jacksonville 30-20, 31-29, 30-15 earning the A-Sun’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship for the first-time in school history.

“The girls knew what was at stake, and they did a fantastic job today,” said Lipscomb head coach Brandon Rosenthal. “We set out five years ago to build the program the right way, and now here we are. This is our first 20-win season, and now we cap it with our first conference championship.”

The Lady Bisons (20-11), coming off a thrilling five-game semifinal victory over Belmont; the first in program history, are the first four-seed since Jacksonville in 2004 to earn the A-Sun title. All-Tournament performer Sarah Snider led the way for the Lady Bisons for the third straight match, amassing a match-high 17 kills on the afternoon.

Lipscomb raced to a 30-20 game on victory, and fought off a game point at 29-28, winning the final three points to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Snider notched eight of her 17 kills in the second frame, spurring the Lady Bisons rally.

Following the intermission, Lipscomb blitzed the Dolphins in game three, racing to a 9-1 advantage and cruising to the 20-15 match-clinching victory. Freshman Jake Pease brilliantly directed the Lady Bison offense for the third consecutive match, accumulating 39 assists. For the tournament, she tallied 137 assists en route to Tournament MVP honors.

Jacksonville’s Sara Bendorf led the Dolphins with nine kills on her way to All-Tournament honors. Teammate Michelle Walroth joined Bendorf on the All-Tournament squad, leading all players with 69 digs for the weekend

. The Atlantic Sun Conference is a 12-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Gardner-Webb University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Related Links:
 • Championship Coverage