Box Score
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The senior attacking trio of Jessica Cortese (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield), Nicole Barr (Annapolis, MD/Broadneck) and Erin Barkdoll (Dover, PA/Dover) combined for 48 kills and 49 digs to lead Gettysburg to a 3-1 win over Haverford in the second Centennial Conference (CC) volleyball semifinal on Saturday.
With the win, the Bullets (27-5) earn the right to host third-seeded Johns Hopkins, who defeated Franklin & Marshall 3-2 in the first semifinal. The Blue Jays (18-9) won 30-21, 30-23, 27-30, 23-30, 15-13 and will face Gettysburg in the championship match for the second consecutive season.
Cortese led the Bullets with 17 kills and 23 digs while Barr also added a double-double with 15 kills and 24 digs. Barkdoll rounded out the trio with 16 kills and a pair of digs.
Dana Mullenhard and Samantha Thomson led the Fords (18-13) with 19 digs apiece.
After falling 30-26 in game three, Barr put down her first kill of the fourth game to draw Gettysburg to within one at 7-6. She then took the serve and rolled off seven points to open up a 13-7 lead.
Haverford closed to within 25-21 on three straight Bullet attack errors, but two kills from Barkdoll, one from Erica Rau (Oakland Park, FL/Pine Crest) and Cortese's lone ace of the match down the stretch gave Gettysburg a 30-22 win and the match victory.
In game three, Haverford jumped out to an 11-6 lead before Steph Vial (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic) and Cortese combined to serve the six of the next seven points to even the game at 12.
Gettysburg errors on three of the next four points put the Fords back in front 16-13.
Still trailing 20-18, Cortese put down back-to-back kills to bring the Bullets even once again at 20-all.
Knotted at 24, Heidi Jutsum put away two straight kills en route to a 30-26 victory, forcing the fourth game.
Down 11-8 in game one, Rau and Barkdoll had kills on consecutive points before a Haverford error drew everything even at 11-all. Rau knocked down a Barr set to give the Bullets a 12-11 advantage, and they did not trail again en route to a 30-25 game-one win.
In game two, Rau recorded the first kill of the game and Gettysburg never trailed, winning 30-25.
Shannan Smith (Milmont Park, PA/Ridley) had a four-game career high 61 assists. Barr added a team-best three aces and four total blocks while Rau contributed 10 kills to the offense.
Margaret Hallahan (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon) and Vial added 13 and 10 digs, respectively.
Laura Nuyen and Jutsum led the Ford attack with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Gettysburg goes for its fourth conference title in a row, and 10th overall, against Johns Hopkins on Sunday in Bream Gymnasium. Match time is 12 p.m.
Gettysburg def. Haverford, 3-1 (30-25, 30-25, 26-30, 30-22)
Gettysburg Leaders:
Kills: Jessica Cortese 17, Erin Barkdoll 16, Nicole Barr 15, Erica Rau 10; Assists: Shannan Smith 61; Service Aces: Barr 3, Steph Vial 2, Margaret Hallahan 2; Digs: Barr 24, Cortese 23, Hallahan 13, Vial 10; Blocks: Rau 4, Cortese 3, Katie Heffner 2.
Haverford Leaders:
Kills: Laura Nuyen 11, Heidi Jutsum 10; Assists: Emily Hinchcliff 27; Service Aces: Jutsum 3, Hinchcliff 2; Digs: Dana Mullenhard 19, Samantha Thomson 19, Nina Mullenhard 10; Blocks: Jutsum 4, N. Mullenhard 3, K'Lynn Solt 3.
Johns Hopkins def. Franklin & Marshall, 3-2 (30-21, 30-23, 27-30, 23-30, 15-13)
Franklin & Marshall Leaders:
Kills: Elizabeth Earll 18, Susan Taylor 17, Elizabeth Haas 10; Assists: Jackie Skibbie 47; Service Aces: Skibbie 3; Digs: Meghan Godorov 41, Skibbie 17, Nicole Kushman 13, Kayleen Bailey 12; Blocks: Taylor 6, Bailey 2.
Johns Hopkins Leaders:
Kills: Katie O'Callaghan 21, Jen Hajj 16, Natalia Fijalkowski 11, Amy Green 10, Betsy Baydala 10; Assists: Baydala 44; Service Aces: Green 2; Digs: Lizzie Kay 45, Baydala 25, O'Callaghan 14; Blocks: Hajj 5.
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