FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Both top-seeded Johnson & Wales University and second-seeded Rivier University earned 3-0 sweeps on Thursday night in the semifinals of the 2016 GNAC Women's Volleyball Tournament. The two conference powers will now meet for the second straight year for the league title, which will get underway at 1:00 PM on Saturday afternoon from JWU's Wildcat Center in Providence, R.I. 

#1 JWU 3, #4 SIMMONS 0
PROVIDENCE, RI – The pursuit of perfection continued on Thursday night for the Johnson & Wales University women's volleyball team. The Wildcats stayed undefeated and advanced to the finals of the GNAC Tournament with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-15) victory over Simmons.

Records:
Simmons: 12-12
Johnson & Wales: 32-0

Statistical Leaders:
Brylee Frank (JWU): 30 Assists, 9 Digs
Maria Coniglio (JWU): 10 Kills, 15 Digs
Morgan Weeg (SC): 13 Kills, 10 Digs

Of Note:
Johnson & Wales, the NCAA all-division leader with 32 wins, continued its consecutive sets-won streak. JWU ran its streak to 64-straight sets won, dating back to September 21.

The feisty Sharks gave the Wildcats a run for their money with aggressive serves and solid defense. Simmons had five service aces, but also committed 10 service errors. Simmons' attackers struggled to hit around the No. 15 blocking team in the country. JWU had an 8-3 advantage in blocks as well as a 65-51 margin in digs.

The Wildcats took a 16-12 lead in set one on a Maria Coniglio (Old Bethpage, NY) ace and appeared to have it in hand at 24-15 on a Kate Walker (Oakland, Calif.) kill. The Sharks fought back to within 24-21 but a service error gave JWU the first set. Simmons closed to within 11-9 in the second set before Brylee Frank (Palm City, Fla.) went on a 7-0 run to put the set out of reach. Simmons' Morgan Weeg – who had a match-high 13 kills – tied the third set at 13-13, but the Wildcats ended the match on a 12-2 run.

Coniglio was one of three Wildcats with nine or more kills as she recorded 10 winners and added 15 digs for a double-double. Middle blockers Emily Kalmink (Byron City, Mich.) and Walker had nine kills apiece. Kalmink added a match-high four blocks. Frank posted 30 assists and libero Gianna Esposito (Larkspur, Calif.) notched a match-high 18 digs.

Weeg had more than 50 percent of Simmons' kills and added 10 digs. Setter Kenna McCarthy posted 15 assists while libero Alex Itasaka produced a team-best 15 digs.

Next Game:
Johnson & Wales plays host to Rivier in Saturday's final at 1 p.m. The Wildcats topped the Raiders, 3-1, on September 21. 

Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications.

#2 RIVIER 3, #3 ANNA MARIA 0
Nashua, N.H. - For the 13th time and seventh consecutive season, the Rivier University Women's Volleyball team has advanced to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship after ousting #3 Anna Maria College (21-11) in straight sets this evening in GNAC Semifinal action at the Muldoon Gymnasium. The Raiders, now a program best 31-3 overall, will travel down to Providence, Rhode Island for another Championship bout with Johnson & Wales University (32-0).

The Raiders took the three set match from the AMCATS by scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-16.

Senior Dana Mott (Medway, Mass.) led the Raiders with 15 kills and four total blocks. ClassmateLauren Silverman (Chelmsford, Mass.) was excellent once again with 13 kills, a .435 hitting percentage and three solo blocks. Sophomore Hayley Macken (Clifton Park, N.Y.) dished out 35 assists and senior Molly McCormack (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) was the defensive star with 16 digs. Junior Bethany Trevino (Westminster, Colo.) chipped in with 15 digs and senior Chelsey Hussey(Lebanon, Conn.) added six kills in the win.

On the other side, the AMCATS were led by sophomore Amari King (Lawrence, Mass.) who had 14 kills and 10 digs. Junior Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.) and freshman Alyssa Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.) each added five kills for Anna Maria with classmate Tierney Clancy (Meriden, Conn.) distributing 23 assists. Sophomore Carolina Garcia (Springfield, Mass.) contributed with 15 digs in the season ending loss.

This will be the third straight season in which both Johnson & Wales and Rivier will battle for GNAC supremacy with each team splitting the previous two matches – JWU in 2015, Rivier in 2014. Overall, these two programs have battled for the GNAC crown six times since 2002 as they have each taken three titles from each other.

Earlier this season, the Wildcats were victorious over the Raiders in four sets by scores of 25-19, 25-23, 27-29 and 28-26. That 27-29 set loss to Rivier is the only set loss by the Wildcats this season (96-1 in sets played in 2016).

Courtesy of Rivier Athletics Communications.