FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
First Volleyball Regional Title for Bentley.
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - For the first time since 2005, the Bentley Falcons volleyball team earned a spot in the NCAA Regional Championship. In 2021, Daemen defeated the Falcons in the NCAA Tournament. This year was a different story. The Falcons rallied after losing the first set to win three straight (12-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23), and the program's first Regional title.
Five of the eight teams in the East Regional were from the NE10. Despite falling to New Haven in the NE10 Tournament, the Falcons are the last NE10 team standing. After it took five sets to defeat the SNHU Penmen Thursday, the Falcons defeated Mercy 3-1 Friday. That set up a Regional Championship between a familiar foe Saturday evening. The Daemen Wildcats knocked Bentley out of the NCAA Tournament back in 2021. Right away, the Falcons had their backs up against the wall.
Bentley never led the first set. Daemen exploded out the gate with a 10-2 run to start the match. Later in the set, a kill and two blocks would cut the lead to 18-12, before the Wildcats would score the next seven behind three kills by Giselle Giraud.
The next three sets were much more evenly played, and Bentley had the toughness to get the clutch points. While the second set was a nail-biter, the Falcons never trailed. Time after time, Bentley answered. Daemen got within one three times at 14-13, 17-16, and 18-17. Bentley would score five straight to make it 23-17. Ellie Wheeler would have the final two kills of the set to clinch a set win, and a 1-1 split after two sets.
Daemen would jump out to a 6-2 lead to start off set three. In four straight points, Wheeler had two kills and Rachel Vitko had a kill and block to tie it up 6-6. Daemen would go on a run again, building a lead as large as 21-15. The Falcons would again fight back, cutting the lead to 22-19. Two kills by Caitlin Wunder and an ace by Ali Stuesser tied it up at 22, but Daemen would take the lead back. After two errors, a block by Maddy Kelley and Caitlin Wunder won the Falcons set three.
Once again, Daemen took control of the set early, and jumped out to a 6-3 lead. After three straight Bentley kills, the set was tied at 7-7. The teams would trade points back in forth, before Bentley scored four straight points highlighted by two aces from Elizabeth Blinn. Down 21-17, Daemen scored five straight points to lead 22-21, and led again 23-22. A service error, a service ace by Jazzy Burke, and an attack error would clinch a Bentley win and their first Regional Title.
The Falcons won three games in three days to win the East Regional Championship. They now head to Pittsburgh, PA for the National Quarterfinals on Thursday December 7. They are another three wins in three days away from a National Title. Stay tuned for Bentley's opponent and time for their Elite Eight matchup at the UPMC Events Center.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
