Watch the full national championship match between West Texas A&M and Cal State LA from the 2023 NCAA DII women’s volleyball championship on Dec. 9, 2023.
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Welcome you to championship Saturday from Moon Township, Pennsylvania. We’re inside the upper AMC event Center on the campus of Robert Morris University. It is A46 match up in the final Cal State LA the Golden Eagles making their first ever appearance in the national title match while West Texas A&M
Tries to defend their title, making their sixth appearance all time in the national championship. The path to get here for the sixth seed Golden Eagles, an upset win against Wayne State in the quarterfinals. They did that in five sets and the semifinals. They cruised against Umsl in three sets. Meanwhile for West
Texas A&M three set win against Clarion and then an absolute thriller in the semis, a five set comeback win against top seed Tampa Honor to be with you alongside the national champion head coach from 1997, Debbie Hendrix. Adam Young on hand from the UPMC Event Center. Debbie, you’ve been here before. What
Are the feelings like for these two programs, the nerves are real. They really are. And maybe more so for Cal State LA. This is their first time. But both of these teams are so ready to get this show on the road, they’re glad they’re playing at five. We
Have two of the best individual performance Aces from the course of the week on display here tonight. We’re going to start with Tori Miller for West Texas A&M. She’s been on this stage before. Debbie fifth year senior. She’s approaching 2000 career kills. Tori has long been the heart and soul of this team.
And last night was one of her grittiest efforts ever. She struggled a little bit in serve receive but more than made up for it with her offensive and defensive effort. Meanwhile for Cal State La Emily Elliott, the junior out of Costa mesa, California, has put on a show in
The previous two matches. You know, you just can’t help but focus on her offensive numbers. But yesterday, her serving was just as impressive. She took 18 attempts, was error free and caused all kinds of chaos for the Missouri Saint Lewis serve receive the lady buffs are looking for their second straight national championship.
This is their sixth appearance in the national championship match. Their head coach is an alum. Kendrick Hodge, former three time all-American center. Here she has her Lady Bob set 33 and three. They have won 23 of their previous 24 Shaw. And if you go back to a year ago, they
Are 59 and three in their previous 62 matches. Meanwhile for the Golden Eagles, they entered the national tournament on ranked. They are a sixth seed. Juan Figueroa has done a marvelous job. They have won ten of their previous 11. They are 21 and four ever since starting the season. Debbie two and six.
It’s been a season of turning around and I think building to be at peaking at this moment. I think he’s done a great job with this team. Now, the Golden Eagles only needed three sets to get by. Umsl yesterday. Meanwhile, West Texas A&M, what a match we had last night in the
Nightcap. They needed five sets. They needed 36 points in set four to get by. Top seed Tampa. There’s a big difference in what these two programs had to go through on Friday. Yeah, let me tell you, West Texas A&M played 236 points to the 134. The Cal State LA played. That’s 102
Point difference, which is nearly another three set match if you’re West Texas A&M. How do you handle from last night’s Thriller, which went deep into the evening, into this one today? What was the recovery like for the ladybugs? I talked to Kendra Potts before the match and she said, you know, we did
The same things we had food ordered to the hotel. They ice bath, which I think is great for recovery. She let them sleep in a little, but then they got into their normal routine. And that’s what I think you have to do. That match was probably as mentally draining as it was
Physically. So I think keeping them in structure is really a good move. A lot of these lady buffs players, of course, played in the national championship team a year ago. Meanwhile, for the Golden Eagles from Cal State, La, their program has never been in this position. Would you give the slight edge
In experience to West Texas A&M going into this title match? Inexperienced Yes. However, I do believe Cal State LA has really been peaking right through to this match. If they play as clean and as efficient as they have in the other two, this is going to be a real battle. Juan
Figueroa squad did everything well on Friday. They hit 364 as a team and they also had 14 blocks. They served it well. Right now they are playing with a lot of confidence. They’re as hot as anybody right now. Every single head coach around the tournament this week has said
That. And Juan Figueroa said last night in his post-match press conference, we just keep getting better and better, which is scary. Lee For all the teams around the tournament this week, you get the sense when he talks about it, he has hit that point where he’s just getting out of
The way and letting this thing, letting the players drive the bus because, you know, they’re doing all the right things. Yesterday match was nearly flawless. And I know they played that way in the regional championship last week. So, you know, I think you just let them let them go and let them play
When West Texas A&M gets to the National title match, they are highly success. UNC Asheville This is their sixth appearance. They are four and one. All time in the national championship. They have four titles, one runner up finish trying to go back to back for the second time in program history. They went
Back to back in 1990 and 1991. They won it in 97. They won it in 2022. They were runner up in oh nine. So they are looking for their fifth national title, which would be second most all time at Division. Two Johnny Hetki will start us on served
For six seed Cal State LA and we are underway in the national championship. Great to have you with us from Moon Township, Pennsylvania. An early kill for Carly Evans, the honorable mention all American. That’s a bright spot right there. Cal state LA starts in that rotation simply to have hankie serve
First. Getting out on the first serve is really positive for the buffs and it’s from Canyon, Texas, where West Texas A&M is located. And we understand there are 4 or 5 watch parties going on tonight in Canyon. A tip kill for Emily Elliott. Pretty good balance on Friday for Cal State,
LA. Three players in double figures in kills. So Elliott had some help yesterday. It was a much more balanced effort than what we saw in the quarterfinal. Miller pushes down the far line a little bit too deep attack here for Miller, who had 70 attacks in last night’s five set
Win. She enters tonight, approaching 2000 Career kills in what will be her final collegiate match off speed from Cami Jones back side to Elliott shot away by Patterson two kills out of the gate for the junior out of Costa mesa. I thought it was really interesting that her
First swing of the match was a tip, but you knew that wouldn’t last long and unreal performance in the quarterfinals almost as good in the semis in just three sets. That’s Contreras answer Receive to F Engle for Miller to attack errors here early on in set one for Torrey Miller the
Lady buffs struggled in serve receive for about two and a half sets last night. Talked to Kendra before the match. She said that’s the longest period they kind of went away in serve receive. This is a tough serving Cal State LA team. They’re going to have to manage that pressure.
An ace for Sanders her 35th of the year early time out for Kendra pots. This golden eagle squad just continues to play with so much confidence. Well, they look high energy. They look composed, and they don’t look like they have nerves at all. I think that’s what happens when
You win in three the day before. And the lady buffs look a little sluggish. And that’s I don’t think there’s any surprise with that. They’re a gritty group of young ladies. They will find their way into this match. But, you know, this first set could be a little sloppy as a result
Of what they went through last night. Both programs looking for their third win in three days. This is a 4 to 6 match up here in the final. The West region champs, the Golden Eagles against the south central region champs. The lady buffs serving was good yesterday for the
Golden Eagles. Seven plus aces now and four straight matches coming in. And they absolutely dominated Umsl. The two seed in the semis. Both of these two teams defeated a one loss team on Friday. Umsl only had one loss before their loss yesterday . Tampa also only had one loss
Before losing to West Texas A&M on Friday. Do not let that ten loss number fool you for Lon Figueroa’s squad. They are not playing like a 23 and ten squad right now. So Sanders out of Menifee, California sends it to Contreras and overpass tipped over by Roundtree and in the
Middle blocker Hailey Roundtree out of Pleasanton Calif. For this time it’s Patterson out of system again Miller She’ll attack into the block Elliott and Roundtree on the block combo All kinds of trouble right now in serve receive if you’re not passing well for West Texas A&M they’re going to get double
Block up and you know they’re looking at Miller right away. Another serve for Sanders Contreras Good pass this time to Moreland back side for Jones denied by Dittman. So right now it’s serving and blocking for the sixth seed Golden Eagles Well and that’s what’s tough serving does it creates great blocking opportunities. Sanders
In the net on Figueroa says that’s okay to a squad absolutely loves this start early on in set one as two new subs come in for the fourth seed lady buffs malice comes in Becker in as well malice will serve she was outstanding from the service line down the
Stretch in that set four 3634 win last night Whitman never got it over the net. Poor touches on the Golden Eagles. She was looking at a big double block. I do think the lady buffs are probably going to let the middles go a little bit if the pass is even remotely off the
Net and double up on one of the two outside hitters right back to Dittman around the two blockers dug out and controlled by Contreras. First attack for Becker, played by Henk Hankey will have to free ball it to stone Miller controlled by Hankey dump play for cannon read by Contreras back side for
Becker. Becker was another one that was really huge in the fourth and fifth set in last night’s match and they need her probably energy right now to get things going and here go the lady buffs again. Winning normally serve serves, and she serves that one inches too long.
But you can live with service errors like those, right? You can. I think especially for Cal State, LA too. I think they have to serve aggressively. This lady buff team runs A62 offense. They’ve got three strong attackers across the net all night long. They want some of that taken away. So I think
They’re going to be high risk, high reward serving great handle by Patterson and the kill for Miller. A lot of zip on that serve by Elliott one of the most aggressive servers in the tournament and Patterson controlled it well you know that they’re going to go to Miller a
Lot tonight. And so does Cal State, LA. So it really is going to be important that other players for the lady buffs step up and balance out that offense, save by Elliott Sanders has to get it over she does to Contreras and system for stone denied by Rountree Bryn Wright
Her first swing Dittmar slaps it across to Contreras Becker from the right antenna again controlled by Henke Dittman, buries it first kill for the transfer from UC Riverside. She did a nice job yesterday of just muscling through the block. She’ll also do a great job using the block tooling, going high
Hands, very creative attacker. For 23 kills for Dittman in the previous two matches in this tournament, only three combined attack errors averaging two and a half kills per set for the year. Playing in her final collegiate match. And that’s an ace for Brooke Page, the sophomore out of Vegas. I really
Feel like the golden Eagles have come out here with a similar mind frame that Tampa did. They’re just pulling all the stops out at the service line. And if they make errors, they make errors, but they they want this lady buff team out of system wide right for page so an
Ace and then an error too early aces and two errors from the service line for the Golden Eagles. You know the other way you get west Texas out of system in Tampa was good at this last night you put the ball on those back row setters. They’re immediately Lee eliminating
Options when you do that. The setter is cannon Henke off speed to malice. The setter bump set from Contreras Cross Court for Becker few kills for the sophomore, giving her 601. In her career. Only a sophomore. That’s a great spot. Just splitting the back line defense. Contreras serves it to Dittman
Back row swing for Elliott handled by Miller stumbling towards it was right dug by Henke Henke Out of the middle. Out of the reach of Contreras. She didn’t have the time to transition outside the block. Saw it. She just got inside of them. And that’s just a heavy
Ball. Henke was on the national stage a year ago. Part of that run to the semis for the Golden Eagles fell just short of the national title match a year ago. Getting here for the first time ever. This year, though. Out of system. Becker Too long attack here. Six point advantage for
The Golden Eagles. Salcedo in. Sends it to Miller overhand handle for her out of the middle is it’s not the prettiest of swings but it works for her second kill Yeah a little bit of a break there. I like the concept of setting the middle. Even when you’re pulled
Ten foot off the line. But this is a little bit of a problem for the Buffs last night. They’ve got to push that ball well inside the ten foot line, have all the options in good situations. Five attack errors, five kills so far in set, one for West Texas A&M. Henke from
The left side. Too long, no touch, too straight for the lady buffs. Blair Mallen, the server junior out of Katy, Texas. Six foot setter, one of two setters that head coach Kendra Pots will use back row Elliott down the far line and in she has done that so often this week Well
That right there you know when you run A51 you only have two options attacking wise on the front row but that’s not the situation here for Cal State LA. They’ve got Emily Elliott swinging from the back row. It’s as just as tough a ball to defend as it is. If she was on
The front row, three kills on four swings for Elliott slide play for Evans, her third kill and set one again good job by the Buffs attacking the corners Both of these teams are basically in perimeter defense so the deep corners are open and Alex from Canyon, the West Texas
A&M is located the third different school for coming back home, playing her final match, Collegiately Rider. It’s Evans again on the overpass. She’s West Texas A&M creating some opportunities for themselves now with Tufts serving. Anna Patterson, one of the better servers for the lady buffs sends a good one. Again, good pass
Though by Keaton Henke off the bump sets. What a pass by Keaton to start the kill for Hankey. Navy. Guilford. Howard. Cornell. Hawaii Hilo. Hankey a sophomore out of Germany last year’s Avca West Region Freshman of the Year , shanked away by Miller, an ace for Hankey, one of the best
Around the country. Top ten nationally in Aces this year and last night the Spartans went after Torrey Miller relentlessly for about a set and a half. I’m sure that Cal State LA Cal State LA watched that. Miller off the bump set. That is three attack errors on Torrey Miller on seven
Attacks. This. Remember she had 70 swings late last night, a match that went over three hours . Jones gets it to cheat in backside for Elliot rolls it off the tape and her first attack here. Maybe the first time in a while. She’s trying to do too much there, Debbie. You know, I
Tell you, sometimes I almost like her better on the back row than the front row. And I’ve never said that about an outside hitter in my life. Gannon sets up Dittman and Overpass for West Texas Iona Cannon back to Elliott, and she’s denied Miller and Stone still one of the best
Blockers around the country. And this has been the problem for the previous two teams that have played against West Elliott. They just haven’t been able to get block stops on her. That’s a that’s one they’re going to need a couple more before they get her thinking a little bit. Jones
From the righty antenna out of bounds and West Texas A&M draws within three Elon Figueroa Probably thinking about a timeout here hasn’t used one yet . Elliott The answer just when you think she might be fading off a little bit, she answers with a kill. Oh yeah. And I think they
Are giving her a little bit of line out there. So they’re they’re forcing her to hit the cross body shot. But that’s such an extreme angle. There’s really no way to defend that. That snaps A30 run for West Texas A&M Sanders was serving it very well early on. Serves it to Miller
Serve receives struggles again early on for the lady buffs in the middle for Stowe and that violation and it’s on Roundtree of Cal State LA it’s a normal tactic to go after an outside hitter who’s front row in particular because you’re overloading them. They’ve got to pass before they do the next job
In that swing. And last night, Torrey Miller felt the pressure of that. So there’s no surprise, right now that that is how they’re serving West Texas A&M only hitting zero 83 in set one Dittman denied Stowe and Becker near antenna. And there’s that timeout for Lon Figueroa Carlow Wright State Kendra Potts talks
About the fact that you know sometimes her team is not in an offensive rhythm and they really look to their defense to get them going and then work their way into the offensive rhythm. And she talks a lot about learning as they go. So, you know, you can watch all the
Video you want, but you won’t really know how to defend an attack until you see them live. So they’ve already begun to pick up on a few things. They’ve gotten a couple of block stops here. And I think that’s really positive for their defense. West Texas A&M looking for their 34th
Win of the season. In case you missed it, on Friday night, they’re coming off a five set thrilling comeback win against top seed Tampa. Tampa led two sets to one. And in the fourth West, Texas A&M trailed 18 to 10. Then they trailed 2420. They fought off ten match points. In
The fourth, they trailed 14 to 12. In the fifth they fought off two more match points. In the fifth, they end up winning the match and absolute thrilling fashion. Chris Catanach the head coach of Tampa, who’s been doing this for 40 years, said last night in the post-match press
Conference, In 40 years, I’ve never experienced something like that remarkable comeback. It was. And it just tells you how gritty this West Texas A&M team is. They actually sometimes play better from behind. I don’t know if they can afford to put themselves in those kinds of holes tonight because Cal State,
LA is so efficient right now. Great serve by malice overpass kill for Sto. And guess what? It’s malice again from the service line doing damage for West Texas A&M. She was the best server for the lady buffs down the stretch in that comeback win Friday. Elliott Right left. That
Was a tough out. It was a very out of system ball that she had to swing at. But that’s an error we have not seen from her during the tournament. That is her third attack here. Only 8 in 2 matches coming in Whitman to push one handed tumbling dig for
Patterson. Kentucky from the back row. Patterson slides to this. One dittman off the block, dug out by malice Contreras debuff set blocked for Cal State LA and a kill for Roundtree. What a rally. Heads up play by Roundtree Just knowing that as long as I can keep this ball in
Play poking it deep in the court back part of the court would be successful. All. And now the Golden Eagles get Elliott to the service line where she does so much damage an ace in the right corner. 18 attempts last night. No errors ripping serves just like that. I mean, it’s a high
Risk, high reward type of serve. I didn’t go back and look at the stats, but I can’t imagine she had another match like that all season long where she served this aggressively with no errors . Debbie It’s so interesting how efficient she has been from the service line here this week
Because you look to her entire year and she has a team, high 81 service errors. It’s a high number, high risk, high reward like you’ve talked about. But it doesn’t seem like she’s taken anything off it this week. But she’s been way more efficient this week. I think she’s an
Incredible competitor. I I really do. And I think that she sees that this is the this is the time, you know, maybe it’s a mental like really being focused every time she steps back there to serve but she’s turned on some switch in the last couple of weeks that you know is
Special. It really is the ability to be executing at this high a level in all phases of her game. And we haven’t even talked about her defense. But she’s a good blocker. She’s a good back row defender. I think she had a set assist last night, you know, so there’s a switch
That’s gone off that she’s so focused and it’s cleaning up her game. Elliott First team all American was a second teamer a year ago That last days given her 13 now in a previous four matches team best 67 for the year. Big moment here for the lady buffs answer receive
Against Elliott Becker cross court round tree had to play it Henke will free ball it Patterson comes up Miller West Texas A&M back within one they get Elliott off the service line I love that Emma Patterson stepped in and took that ball. They’ve been rallying the setters to take too many ball
First balls and then they can’t run the offense. So that was very aggressive. There. Sanders passes for Keenan Dickman off the arm of Stone Becker, again for the right side punched up in the air by Henke out of system back row tip for Elliott and that drops in and right there
That was the opposite. You know, I think someone could have stepped in and taken that ball. So. Ainsley malice didn’t have to take it and then she could have run the offense. They didn’t get nearly the same kind of swing with her playing the first ball. Overpass kill for Henke that was
Right on the doorstep was malice in front for West Texas A&M. Hack has some inches on her and used it. Page serves a good one again out side for right kept up by page swing for Henke right into the block covered up by Elliott back to Henke lunging pass for Miller
. And a misfire on the set by malice not on the same page. Keystone four touches on the lady buffs. Miller passes for malice outside for right saved by Paige Roundtree with the Free Ball. Contreras is malice Becker across Gordon in Wow Wow That’s a big swing. She loves that hard
Crosscourt ball Got a perfect set here and just brought so much pace to this. That’s not a dig ball. We’ll see if the lady buffs have some late set magic left in them. Again They trailed 24 to 20 and set four against Tampa last night with their season on the line, Becker out
Of system off speed and she drops it in You know, I wondered if the lady buffs were going to go after Jamison Sanders a little bit. She only had four digs in the entire match last night, so, you know, it’s at least worth testing to see, you know, does she make that play
Right there? That was a little bit of a mis hit. But it’s still, I think, where they were trying to go a well, I think Juan Figueroa saw what happened last night. So he’s going to call a timeout right here and make sure that West Texas A&M doesn’t get in that groove they
Were in and set for last night. No lead to great no lead big enough against the lady buffs. You know the difference? I think between at least I felt like coming into this match between last night Tampa and Cal State LA Lake, Tampa made a lot of unforced errors and unforced Lee
They were at really bad times is what we’ve seen to this point is that Cal State LA has been very, very clean, very efficient. So I think, you know, if the lady buffs are planning to dig themselves out of some of those holes, I think they’re going to
Have to do with their play and not with any free points, especially at critical times. First ever appearance in the National championship for Cal State, LA. There fans have traveled well, lady buffs, fans per usual, traveling well, good atmosphere here inside the UPMC event center for a final match
Of the week match number seven. We will crown a national champion tonight. Will it be the lady buffs for a second straight year or the first ever for the Golden Eagles? Kentucky Tips it over two blockers past by malice tipped by Everts Elliott from the back row, Contreras digs
Right the bump set. Becker rolls it to Dittmann rolled by Elliott Contreras all over it. Becker Tools to block Is that a slide play there? Debbie It was. And it’s because she came in to cover the tip. So she’s such a good athlete. She can go off one
Foot like that and that’s the best escape, you know, she can really come way in to cover the tip and then run out of it with that slide. Sophomore Becker has been the been the best lady buff here in this set service Air and will have set point for Cal
State La. And it’s going to be Salcido in the service line for the Golden Eagle. Sophomore from Istanbul, Turkey. Miller The pass malice backside right back to Becker. She’s just using the block right to left. She likes that swing. Anyway. It was 2319 Golden Eagles. Now it is 24, 23
And a point here for the lady buffs would send us to extra points here in set. One more Lynn sends it to a backpedaling. Sanders Henke Cross Court for the Golden Eagles Take set. One Al-taym her fourth kill for Yanni Henke in set one a handful for Elliott Cal State LA only
Hit 162, but they did enough and set one looking for their first ever national title. We’ll go to set two for Moon Township when you come back. In NCAA Division two Community engagement is an initiative at all 25 national championships because student athletes want to give back while competing for a national title
Over the course of the year, Division two student athletes have an opportunity to leave a lasting impression in local community throughout the country, whether division two student athletes are volunteering at hospitals, schools after school care programs, foster homes or retirement villages. They make a difference in the lives of
Others. In Division two, we rise to the opportunity and make community engaged. Spent hours on my team. I thrive to work as hard as I can. I mean, whatever you do on the field is a positive correlation to whatever else you do. Be it personal relationships, homework, or the
Way you carry yourself. I’ve changed since I got to King University. It’s really helped me to develop as a leader. I think it’s honestly the best thing that’s ever happened. In NCAA division, two student athletes leave a lasting impression on their communities. That’s because Division two student athletes want to make a
Difference and truly be part of their surrounding communities through community engagement. Thousands of student athletes from various backgrounds interact with community members who view them as role models. This interaction leaves a positive and perhaps even life changing impression on all those involved. In Division two. We rise to the opportunity and make
Community engagement ours. To them, the whole world looks like an opportune unity, one to be seized and built upon and made better for their sport and the people around it. Two student athletes use every opportune MIT is a chance to change what could be and show the world what the
Opportunity can do. Golden Eagles Win Set one in their first ever appearance in the national championship match. But for West Texas A&M, this is not their first trip. In fact, this is their second trip in a row to the national championship match last year. They played Concordia Saint Paul in Seattle. There’s
Torrey Miller. She’s been on this stage before. The final point, as West Texas A&M won their fourth national championship. And now this year, they’re trying to go back to back. So many of these players were on this stage a year ago. Debbie The majority of the team
Is back. So they do have that experience of being on this stage. I don’t sense that they’re rattled right now. You know, they know what they’re pursuing. And it’s that moment right there. I don’t care how empty the tank is right now, that feeling right there is so
Special they’ll find a way to climb back in this match. And pursue that again. You saw then freshman Tatum Stone on the block assist on that final point to defeat Concordia Saint Paul last year. The lady buffs also defeated Wingate in the quarterfinals. They did that in five sets. Beats umsl in four
Sets in the semis. And then Concordia Saint Paul in the finals. They won their final 26 matches a year ago. If they win tonight, it would give them wins in 24 of their final 25. So Kendra Pots continues to have this program playing at their absolute best the final month.
And a half. Both of these teams and that’s what makes this kind of special. I think they’re bringing their a games tonight Lady buffs 59 and three in their previous 62 matches going back to last year. Contreras saves it beyond the back line. Miller will have two free ball it to
Dittman. Kentucky cuts it in She finished off set one and she begins set two with her fifth kill only one attack here for the Germany native. What’s really interesting about that last set, West Texas A&M had three more kills than the golden Eagles and their hitting percentage was to 31 to 162.
Still lost the set. Miller cuts it in the slow start for Miller and set one She had four attack errors that is her third kill on her 12th swing. You know when we look at those numbers, the separation was at the service line. Golden eagles had four
Aces. And I think that was the difference in the set. Elliott’s starting to heat up again after some early attack here. She had three of them in set. One and now she’s up to a half dozen kills. You know, she had a couple of errors early in the match yesterday, and I think
Everybody went, uh oh, you know, is this not her night? And then she established that it was going to be another good night for her in her week. It’s been her month. If you go back to the regionals when she played so well, had 22 kills in the regional final. Miller down the
Near line and in what a nice swing coming in angle and hitting that cross body shot they gave her just enough line and she threaded a littler 70 swings last night. Elliott had 110 swings coming in. In the first two matches as heavy workload for those two star players. Dittman out of system
Off the block kept up by Contreras Miller rolls it to Henke Whitman attacks again on diving dig for Contreras She is so good at that Libero position Roundtree with the overhand handle Elliott crosscourt and in . She can hit the most extreme angles. Cal Poly Humboldt for
Hawaii Hilo her 56th kill of the week here in Pennsylva VA and now she aces too hot to handle for Contreras. A pair of aces in the match for Elliott. Pinballs around and somehow Contreras gets it across Donner both knees malice to Dick Becker to Henke. He’ll try Elliott
Again punched over by Petersen. Henke has to play it back on Elliott wide left with this one some really good defense for West Texas A&M. Yeah and that’s a big break for the lady buffs because they’re a couple of these servers that they really need to get them off the service
Line as quick as possible. They didn’t as early as they would have liked to with Elliott, but that’s a nice break. Elliott With the bump set Dittman rolls it to malice in two pin bump set by Becker Right. With the attack malice and over dig right to Henke.
Rountree out of the middle This is a brilliant tactic by Cal State LA That’s the ninth or 10th dig. Now for Ainsley malice so she can’t run the offense so when they don’t have anything else to do with it, they’re putting it on malice and waiting for their opportunity to kill
The ball. The Golden Eagles continue to show they are way more than just Emily Elliott. A lot of players have really stepped up the previous two days . Page has served it well and she aces for a second time. 23 now this year for the sophomore out of Vegas. I feel like the
Golden Eagles have served tough in this tournament, but I think they’ve taken it up to another level in this match. Half dozen aces already after seven plus in four straight matches twice Now, Page has aced in that aired on the next one. I mean, you’re looking for a little bit more
Than that in that philosophy. You’d like to get a couple of points before the air, but they’re accomplishing the task of really creating some chaos for the lady buffs service pass by Dittman. Elliott Back row off the chest of Contreras One handed dig from Alice. She’s been marvelous defensively.
Tonight, Henke drops it in. Another setter. Ainsley Malice doing all she can defensively but these attackers especially in this set for the Golden Eagles just too much. Hitting percentage going up for Cal State LA to 67 and set. To bump set for Elliott Henke Tough angle right the overpass back to
Henke punch it up by malice. Past by Dittman Elliott in her sweet spot back row right side right Gets the touch her first kill great swing by Wright I tell you what they’re just never in system West Texas A&M because malice is their primary defender right now not ideal but what a
Great out here clean ball by Becker then a nice swing by by Brynn Wright that’s that’s good She had a rough night last night. I’m sure that feels good to her help her get into a rhythm. And Debbie, there haven’t been many times when Elliott hasn’t terminated from
The back row right line. That’s been her sweet spot all week. Henke, a side out for Cal State LA. And Gordon for now. Isaac Hannan, Senior Center, six feet tall from Santa Ana, California, serves it to right slide play for Everts. Kept up by the golden Eagles. Henke again
Jumping Dig by Contreras. Back side for Elliott Diving Dig. Contreras And now she has to free ball it does so to the front row Cannon sets up Elliott Contreras played it up. Miller Can’t get to it. The eighth kill for Emily Elliott. The lady buffs are completely out of system, completely, you know,
Out of sorts. And so much of it, again, it’s the serving and then it’s going back to putting the ball on the setters. They’re out of system. Just about every rally. Well, Elliott has eight kills, but Henke has seven are 21 swings. Not only does she has seven kills, she also has ten
Digs so far. Debbie Yeah, she’s a great defender and they’re just creating great opportunities for themselves offensively because of what they’re doing and the way they’re taking their first and second attacks. You know, if they don’t have anything to do with it, they can’t terminate it, put it on the set or wait
For your next time. They’ve been patient and then they’re creating great opportunities through that. Last night we saw Natalie Perez for Tampa. Only a sophomore from Honduras. Henke Similar international player, only a sophomore, was on the national stage in the semis a year ago, played pretty well, has played better this year, and
Will just continue to grow and grow. She’s going to be one of the better players around the country the next couple of years. Yeah, you better believe it. And she’s just gotten better through this tournament to the first day. We didn’t say her name a lot. It didn’t seem like
She was involved as much yesterday, much more so. And today she’s off to a fantastic start. Cal State LA looking for their third straight upset here in the national tournament. It beat three seed Wayne State Thursday and five beat to seed umsl in straight sets Friday and
They’re up one zero on four seed and defending national champ the preseason number one team in the country West Texas A&M and once again the Golden Eagles enter the National tournament unranked led violation. On West Texas A&M. They got Moreland in the net when she was setting I
Thought they were calling it on Everts, but then he showed the 14. So mall Lynn on the set. Golden Eagles ahead by a handful service breaking down again for the lady buffs. Elliott from the right side, the block was late to get there and out your west Texas. CNN You’re thinking about
Henke on the outside, so you’re forgetting about Elliott a little bit. Well they have multiple weapons. There’s no question in I think all the attention goes to Elliott. But the reality of it is they had four weapons yesterday that were big producers offensively. Point goes to West Texas A&M. Assuming
Maybe it went outside the antenna. That was what was called that was off. Lady buffs have to find a way to start putting a little more pressure on these golden eagles. And keep the push. Contreras sets up Miller. For Dug Out by Jones Miller Tools to Block. Well,
West Texas A&M left for her to heat up again. What a decision by Choedon to watch that one fly by maybe two inches too deep probably an easier decision when you’re up by this much than it is. You know, if it’s late in the set, tight. Minnesota State Mankato
Dangerous for the service line all the way it comes. Gathered up by Contreras front set by Moreland, setting up Miller. Great job by Contreras getting her body behind that ball. It’s moving so much that you don’t want to reach on that, and that’s what the offense can look
Like in system. Have. It’s a really good server played by Choedon. Excellent Pass Dittman blocked away, but Cal State LA able to free ball it to Everts Miller rolls it right to cannon the center cheat in with the bump set off the block goes Dittman to the middle for stone
Solo denial by Grubbs back side for Elliott Yes How did she get that one in. Cal State LA is doing such a great job of extending rallies, being patient, waiting for the right swing. That’s good offense. Elliott Back in double figures, her 10th kill 273 hitting clip
At 366 in the semi. Elliott will use the block this time she has a toolbox so many shots she can go to she’s very aggressive on Thursday a little more finesse at times the last two days. Anderson passes for Moreland had a good set and it hits the antenna. That’s tough. Call by
Kendra Potts. That’s tough because you know, they’ve been waiting for the passes to improve. And, you know, when things are breaking down, we always talk about it doesn’t matter if the passing breaks down one time and then the setting breaks down and then the attacking breaks down, You still
Have you still lost three points. Well, it Cal State LA wins the title. We know who the MVP is going to be. She might be the MVP regardless. Emily Elliott 11 kills in this one. She now has 60 and three matches for the tournament. Yeah, she’s been phenomenal. And she’s hit
Shots that you just almost can’t believe. I was so interesting to me to see her open up with a tip. I don’t think anybody in the gym expected that at including the lady Buff defense. She has had every head coach in this tournament trying to figure out how to stop her Erskine was
Wayne State and it was umsl. Now Kendra Potts trying to figure out how to silence number eight. I go back to what Ryan young, the umsl head coach, said a couple days ago after their quarterfinal win when he knew he was going to have to play Cal
State LA in the next match and the post-match press conference, he was asked about the Golden Eagles and he said, Don’t know much about them yet. Don’t know her name. But number eight is a stop. And I don’t think we could say it any better. No. And you know, it’s kind of unfortunate
Because there’s a lot of other really good players on this team. And right now you got people who are serving well. They’re playing defense well. But, I mean, you just can’t stop watching Emily Elliott still has another year left. Only a junior, six foot few right side hitter from Costa mesa in
California. Trying to help the Golden Eagles notch their first ever national championship. Hope still twice on the attack. Jack Dittman crosscourt to Contreras Cami Jones, a quiet start here in the national championship Dittmann out of the reach of a diving, Contreras buries it back line. The lady buffs attempted
To kind of make a small rotation move to take away the corner. She saw it attacked area six middle back. Like the previous two days, the Golden Eagles getting better as the match goes on, hitting 290 here in set two just 162 in set one Jones out of
The reach of Henke side out lady buffs That was a tough out for Jones and I’m I’m surprised she took that big a swing but it was effective. Dallas Furman. For Ainsley Miles junior out of Tucson. Transfer from Long Island to set canyon rolled across by Dittman to Contreras,
Hammered over by Becker, shot across by Elliott Miller attacks too long and that is five attack errors for Torrey Miller he even right there Ainsley Mallis is taking a ball with someone else standing right there. They’ve got to get that communication worked out and let her set the
Second ball. Miller with five of the eight attack errors for west Texas A&M and Miles goes right back to Miller Bethel (Minnesota) Block here for Kill number seven and a lot of credit right there to Emma Patterson. That was a bomb serve and she managed it really well.
Sanders with the pass back row swing shot across Rountree The overpass kill. And that’s four kills for Rountree No errors. Five attacks. Yeah. At least two of them have been overpass his She hasn’t been that involved in the offense so she’s taking advantage of her opportunities service here for Page has been
Really aggressive That’s her third error but two aces as well . Contents. Riley Contreras The honorable mention all-American to the service line. A native of Canyon transfer from Division one, Stephen F. Austin has played for two high quality programs. Rountree buries it inside the block, so she’s doing
What she did in the semis. Not a lot of swings, but once she gets them, she’s making the most out of them. I think she actually hung up there so long the block was on the way down when she actually swung at the ball. And 833 hitting percentage for
Rountree after 455 in the semis. Miller passes for malice. A swing for Everts, who got off to a really good start in set one. Yep. And that one there too again created by that good pass. You know, the lady buffs always talk about learning as they go and usually they’re talking
About the block and defense as they may have to kind of get a feel for these serves. And if they can start getting some three option passes, that would be huge. Norwich. Cannon For Henke. Miller Right there. Savage Again, out of the middle, two straight for Carly Everts, one of their better defensive
Transitions right there. They’re starting to chip away a little bit. You’re seeing a little bit more flow offensively. And we know they are never out of a match. They proved that yesterday. Elliott For the back row. And she barely sneaks it in. Might have hit that back line. And you may be wondering
Why Torrey was so far up in the court. But that’s because we’ve watched Emily Elliott Berry some of these balls. And I think she didn’t realize she was up that far. I thought that ball was out another high efficiency match for Elliott, High efficiency for Everts. She’s the go to right
Now for the lady buffs. I mean that ball still eight feet off the net. So I think Cal State LA might be letting her go just for a fraction of a second. It’s creating opportunity. They need to keep feeding Everts out West, Texas A&M trailed 18 to 10 and
Set for four against Tampa last night and came back to win the set. Now they trail 2114 as Hedtke terminates her eighth kill. For Alvernia. 20 combined kills for Elliott and Henke, they have 20 of the 26 Niklas attack is shot out of play. That’s her eighth kill.
Karly Everts doing a lot right now. She has seven kills a couple of digs as well. Whitman off the block. They steer it towards Elliott Crosscourt out to the center, Moreland overhead Bump said Patterson. Bad angle for Miller. Somehow inside the antenna, the dittmann hard off the block past by Patterson
Quick set to stone shot over and out of bounds by Miller point to the Golden Eagles Good adjustment by Cal State LA They realize now that even eight feet off the net the setters are still going to set the middle. They were ready this time. Whitworth Wheeling. Reception
For Patterson tied to the back side for Joey Jones. And that’s a point for Cal State. La Golden Eagles. Two points away from going up. Two zero. That’s the fifth air. But also six aces for the Golden Eagles. So I’m sure Juan Figueroa is just fine with some of these
Errors. And there’s no stat for the number of times they’ve had this serve receive completely discombobulated. So I think he’s loving what they’ve been doing at the service line. Henke steers it towards Cannon and Elliott off the chest of malice set point. Golden Eagles. You know, it’s just unbelievable
When you see really good defenders stand in there and be in the right spot and they just cannot handle the ball. The pace on her ball. Elliott and Ace, what can’t she do? Her third ace here in the finals to go with 13 kills, four digs and a block.
She served an ace Cal State LA dominant Debbie She served an ace to finish the second set yesterday as well. 2516 The final in set two Golden Eagles will try to sweep in the national title when you come back. In NCAA division two community engagement is an initiative at all 25 national championships
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Change what could be and show the world what opportunity can do. The Golden Eagle is from California, the Cal State, LA. Looking for their first ever national title. Also looking for their third straight upset here in the national tournament this week. They lead two sets to none in their service. Pressure Derby
Has been at a high level. It’s been unreal and that’s seven service Aces. Four of them were the set. I think the difference in that first set, because all the stats were similar back then, but I really think that doesn’t even tell the whole story. They’ve just created so
Much trouble, all for the offense, for the lady buffs. I think it’s a great mentality to come out with Tampa. Did it last night, caused some problems, but they’ve just done so many other things. Well, they’ve kept their errors down. They’re in control of this match. Golden Eagles hit
341 and sets to that player right there, Emily Elliott, eight kills in the set. She hit 438 and set two. Henke Right there. Four kills in set. Number two, Roundtree with three in the set. And they didn’t just win set two, they won set 225 six. Team Impressive performance by
The Golden Eagles so far. You didn’t see that push from behind from the lady buffs. So now West Texas A&M will have to go for the reverse sweep to win their second straight title. That’s a good start here in the third, a kill for Cammie Jones. I only mentioned that you didn’t see
That push because is it a question of whether they have it left in the tank? You know, but I guarantee you they’re going to try. They’re never they never consider themselves out of the match. Overpass kill for Stowe to nothing. West Texas A&M. But a quiet match for Stowe so far,
Just her third kill in the first two. Plus sets. Cannon back side for Elliott. There’s a tip you just don’t know where she’s going to go. She has so many different shots in that toolbox. Well, she tips so rarely that nobody is expecting it. It’s brilliant. The way she sets that
Up. Her kill number continues to rise for 18, a match high for Elliott Serve this here for Sanders. The one thing that Cal State LA has to keep their mentality sharp about is their own errors. They’re in control, but they’ve got to continue to control their side of the floor.
They don’t want to give opportunities because to West Texas A&M through unforced errors, we know what that what happens when you do that. Whitman finds Cannon right back to Dittman Cross Court and she buries it third kill for the transfer from UC Riverside. The last loss for West Texas A&M.
That did not happen in five sets was. September 10th of 2022, when they were swept by UT Tyler September of last season was their last loss that was not in five sets. They won their final 26 matches a year ago after that loss against UT Tyler. We’ll get
A challenge here. Our first one over at the review monitor. All three losses this year for the lady buffs coming at five sets. We’ve said that a lot in this tournament right? A lot of teams, yeah. Wayne State was similar to Tampa had the same deal. So they called it in challenging
Whether it was in or not. From this angle, it appears there is space between the ball and the line. I’m also questioning whether Contreras touched that ball. And remember, while they’re in the process of looking at one thing within the challenge review, if they discover something else that’s
Fair game. We just saw Kendra Potts smiling and laughing with the team trying to keep them loose. And that’s very important right now. I know they’ve been really good at playing from behind, but this is a different level of playing from behind right here, down two sets to
None. And they do a great job of staying positive regardless of the circumstances. I think it starts with Kendra, but you know, last night, even in the intense Liberty of the fourth or fifth set, the team was dancing during these challenge reviews. I think they’re saving their energy today. But yeah, they
Definitely have a fantastic mentality on that side of the floor. Andrew Potts Highly successful as the head coach of the Lady Buffs, won 24 and 23. She has 40 Keene State and two in her time as head coach in the NCAA tournament. This is a longer review. They’re still looking over at
The monitor, so still no decision on. I want to make sure they get this one right. You know, it might seem early in this one at this point is still very, very big here. Early on in the third. Yeah, I think that the only reason Kendra would
Call this one this early is if she really feels like she’s going to win it. And she did. She does point West Texas A&M. Well, the one angle we had, it did appear to be out. The next question was, did Contreras touch the ball on the way out?
And obviously, they did not see that. That’s a big point for the lady buffs. They lead 4 to 1 here in the third, trying to stay alive here in the third. Alice serves it for Dittman. Who gets it back from Cannon? She’s turned away. Soto and Becker on the near antenna. You know
Another reason that challenge might have been a good idea. I mean, it worked out, but just to create, you know, this is the biggest lead just from a confidence standpoint. This might do a lot for the lady buffs and key passes for Cannon. This is Elliott. Well, if you
Need to stop a run, you turn to Emily Elliott, her 15th kill. And they just continue to go after Ainsley malice. She’s got ten digs. That’s not what you really want to see as a coach for your offense. Aggressive serve again from Elliott out of system attack for Miller and she
Drives it in. There are so many recent experiences from the previous week that West Texas A&M can lean on as they try to pull off a big comeback. Trailing two sets to none. Kentucky through the hands of malice side out for the Golden Eagles. Yeah, if ever there was
A team who believes they can come back from any situation, no matter how dire it looks, it’s them. We remarked last night that both teams were in tears right when the match was done because the lady buffs were in shock more than anything, and a senior like Miller was is going
Through tears of joy because she knew her season and her career was extended one more day. Yeah, survived well and they obviously when you have 12 match points and you’ve held off those points , it takes a lot of emotional energy. The defending national champs ahead by four in the
Third, trailing two sets to none back row Elliott That one is too long. She hasn’t missed from there very often this week. Timeout Juan Figueroa. I don’t think this is a situation yet that you know Cal State LA is feeling any pressure but you know there we haven’t really
Seen them under that much pressure when they played Wayne State on Thursday they were the underdog. I think that, you know , even when it went five and they had to come back down to one, I think they didn’t feel any pressure about it. They had nothing to lose. They were the
Underdog. You know, right now, it’ll be interesting to see if West Texas A&M begins to put pressure on them in this set and within the match how they handle that. It’s been neat to hear Juan Figueroa talk during all the press conferences leading into the tournament and also during the course of the
Tournament as well. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder and he feels like they’re trying to earn some respect around the country. They were unranked going into the national tournament. They’re the sixth seed trying to earn some respect and get in that discussion. Like West Texas A&M
Is Tampa is about some of the premier programs around the country. You know, I almost get the sense they like that that spot. You know, they like being in a lower seed, feeling like they’re a little disrespected, putting that chip on their shoulder. I think they play well
In that position in they have swept three of their previous four matches going back to the regional well, they started this season two and six, 21 and four. Ever since they have won ten of their previous 11 and they cruised by a really good umsl team in the semis last night.
Lunching handle for Sanders Henke Off the block. Sanders The bump set to a back row. Elliott Contreras running bump set for Kelsey Carpenter, who’s now in for the first time. She played a big role last night down the stretch right side for Becker. Good Dig by Dittmann Elliott
Will have to free ball it into the corner for Miller. Here’s Carpenter. For the width by Evans Contreras able to get it over and now we get a whistle in the point goes to the Golden Eagles for touches on West Texas A&M That was a delayed whistle
Debbie I think he was relying on the for the down official to communicate at what he saw. There’s a lot of confusion. Auburn as the officials initially let them play on on the Cal State LA side of things. Their players almost stopped. Then we got a whistle and Kendra
Potts was looking for the explanation from the official and she seems satisfied with that explanation. An. Back side for Becker stuck Wheeling handle by Cannon free ball from Elliott right back to Becker cuts it in. This is truly the first point in the match where West Texas A&M looks more systematic than Cal
State. A lot of it’s they’ve started passing better, but right there great tip taking Cannon out of the offense and she’s got to dig that first ball . Speaking of sophomores Becker only a sophomore so put her name in that sophomore discussion for the future with Natalie Perez and also Hankie Panky attacks.
Contreras Dance Carpenter Saved by Dittman Free Ball from Henke Northland Back side for Cami Jones down the near line and in the lady buffs are finally getting some free ball opportunities and they’re capitalizing on them. That’s exactly what they need to do to kind of pick up some speed with
This offense. This. Hitman falls down as she passes. Elliott crushes it in way too hard to handle. She hits from the right side of the floor, which you don’t see that often. And she hits that she absolutely threads that line shot. I’ve never seen anyone hit it quite like that.
Carpenter with the pass pushed by Everts Lunging, dig for Dittman. And then Henke Perfect use of the block as she tips it into the block and that was a great opportunity for Cami Jones . It was a tight set. She just really had to control the ball back into the court with her
Hands and also a beach volleyball player at Cal State, LA, her doubles partner is Dittman. Her indoor teammate as well. Carp Carpenter denied, played by Elliott. Back row swing for Miller, controlled by Chita, crushed in again by Elliott and Absolute Hammer. What a great location on this
Set. She was. Cannon was off the net, but she just located that ball perfectly for Elliott Ball State LA starting to catch up within three Answer Cannon with the serve Jones Cross Court to Cannon right back to Elliott out too hard to handle 18 kills for the star junior. Teams have
Given Elliott Lynn and it’s just she brings so much heat down that line I understand that if you take the line away, you’re giving up a lot of cross court, but I might take my chances on trying to dig her cross court and taking the line with the
Block. But, you know, I’m over here talking with you. I mean, we’ve had fantastic coaches even going back to last weekend in the regional coaches who have been doing this a long, long time, who cannot figure out how to stop her. Emily Elliott now has 89 kills in her previous
Four matches, going back to the regionals. And she still has a ways to go in this one. She has 18 kills, as you see right there, pacing the golden Eagles. Henke with ten. Roundtree has five out of the middle. That’s five on six swings for Roundtree . I mean, Debbie, I’m starting
To run out of words to describe Emily Elliott. And this is three matches in three days. And sewing. No signs of wearing down . What I was just thinking was she almost seems to get better. If it’s possible she gets just a little bit better when anybody presses their team. So when
Wayne State was was up two one and really had them out of sorts, she put the team on her back at the service line and on the net and on the back row attacking and I mean she played nearly flawlessly for the next set and two sets. And I think
It’s almost like when she sees that window where, hey, we’re struggling a little bit. I need to take more control. She becomes better. Three aces, seven digs and a block to go along with those 18 kills. For Elliott, Gannon chooses Elliott again. Cross court to the center. Moreland Carpenter,
Looking for her first kill, dug by Cheetah Henke tips It and she gets it touch initially the official pointed towards the lady buffs and then he reverse hit it. Yeah, you’re going to use a challenge. You’re going to get a challenge on this for sure . Well, we’ve talked a lot about
How the coaches rely on the players. Every player on the floor for the lady buffs was saying there was no touch. That’s what she was looking to do, was just push the ball off the block. But I think I think she missed the block. And the
Point holds this is a 5 to 0 scoring run for Cal State, LA. After trailing 10 to 4. I mean, from here it appears the ball might be low under the hand and Jones was in the process of turning those hands in. Did she catch the wrist there for it’s
Too low to be fingertips. Andrew Potts won a challenge earlier so still has two remaining doesn’t really become a factor in how many have left until the later stages and it became a factor last night during our five set match between the Lady Buffs and Tampa. Well when you play with a
236 points, you probably Ali, you probably better be winning a lot of challenges or you run out of your challenges way too early. A lot of challenges down the stretch in that 3634 set. For that was nearly a three hour match. It’s 22. We were talking about the Tennessee Texas match
During the match, talking about how long that went. The other night. And we had one as well. It was one for the ages. I tell you. I mean, you really did. And I probably say this too much, but it was unfortunate that someone had to lose that match because both teams played
Extremely well. I don’t know if I’ve said I don’t think I’ve said this yet. Out of that 236 points, the actual point differential came down to two points. All those points played. It was that even at and it was just, you know, it was a fun match to watch. I’m sure both
Coaches eventually will be able to say it was a great match to be a part of. You felt for Tampa because they played very well and they missed so many opportunities. But you know, that’s that’s what high level volleyball that’s what you want to see you said towards the end,
It felt like a national championship match and had that feel to it. This one, of course, feels like a national championship match as well. But awfully good volleyball last night leading us to this. Looks like we have the official word. At this point, West Texas A&M. So Kendra Potts, two for two on
Her challenges. Yeah, I’d like to know what her or her winning ratio has been in this tournament. I feel like she’s won a lot of her her challenges as that’ll break A40 run for the Golden Eagles looking for their 24th win. West Texas A&M looking for their 34th and a second
Straight title trying to go back to back for the second time in program history. Great Hustle by Contreras. It just couldn’t get to it. Near press row and fortunately she is okay. That’s dangerous right there. Cal State LA continuing to attack the right back center zone. Tammy Jones for the right side.
It’s been a quiet match for her so far. If she can heat up, that could go a long way for west Texas A&M. She was really good in the national tournament last year as she was a you know, she quietly got ten kills last night. But you know, you’re
Right. If they could get some some she she might be a little fresher than some of the ones who took more swings last night. If she could get something going for them on the right, that’d be great. Huge difference from the service line. Seven aces for Cal State, LA. Meanwhile, West Texas
A&M. No aces for air. Huge differential. Sanders flies it to Patterson steers it towards Moreland Miller hard off the block of Elliott and Roundtree back row Henke sneaks it in, clipped it off the tape matches the near line Cal State, LA. Within one great read by Roundtree on that last block
They they ran a double quick and she she didn’t jump with the middle she read that really well . Golden eagles a little bit high air that is seven service errors a couple from Sanders into the net. Now serving. For malice sends it to Henke bumps set by Keenan Dittman’s attack
Is it over did back side for Elliott she’s denied Miller and still got to her and gotten her a couple of times. I still think you’ve got to you’ve got to block Emily Elliott. She’s so confident you’re going to have to get her a couple more times
To even make her change up what she wants to do. Six attack errors now for Elliott as Henke passes. Well, again, they’re gonna go right back to Elliott. Good decision gets blocked once does not get blocked twice and terminates. For her 19th kill. And as I said, you can tell the
Lady buffs now are taking the line. That’s why they got the block. But it’s opened up a little more of the cross court. She got the deep corner on that one to towards the rafters on the pass by Patterson Sanders controls Henke Back row. Another for Henke, 13 kills and we talk
About how good Emily Elliott is on the back row hankies just as good and this is the one rotation where they’re both on the back row together. Can only has two front row attackers. But she’s also got two back row attackers. And she’s also been really good on serve receive
Overpass by Patterson handled by Henke back row Elliott Brown tree on the overpass and she’s stuffed by stone Really heads up play by stone just getting turned around finding the ball quick and getting in front of Roundtree. She made that look a lot easier than it is. Free ball for Becker Sanders a
Poor pass stone will attack stone drops it in and she’ll laugh it off. Not her best swing, but an efficient swing for stone. Out by inch is Kendra Potts might be thinking about a challenge. No, the R one. Overruled And now it’s being challenged by cal state LA. The
Line judge had it happen. I mean inches in front of him and the official overrules and now they’ll review so on Figueroa will challenge sometimes when you’re the line judge on that corner you’re almost too close to it and the R one has the same really great look at that. When
He overruled it, I wasn’t surprised. That’s in. See, it’s just a, you know, kind of an odd angle because he’s only evaluating the sideline. Actually. He’s evaluating the baseline. That looks in by pretty good amount touches the white line. It’s in. I think this is a good overrule by the R
One and I don’t see any reason for Juan Figueroa to not challenge this. Yeah, we’re getting into the late teens or approaching the late teens. He he doesn’t want the separation to get any greater. National championship match from Moon Township, Pennsylvania for Adam Young alongside Debbie Hendrix, the national champion head coach
. Great to have you with us. Our seventh and our final match for the week for seed versus the sixth seed here on the final Westrillionegion champs versus the South Central region champs. And the point goes to West Texas A&M. That’s the first ace for the lady buffs seven for the Golden
Eagles. Rare mistake on serve receive for Henke. Bump, set Carpenter for Becker’s attack is too deep side out for the Golden Eagle. Cal Lutheran. Baruch page has had success for the service line with a couple of aces 23 now this year for the sophomore. But that’s also her fourth
Service error. And it’s really been all or nothing for her. All errors have come in the net. I believe at least three of them. Well, and after the last one, Juan Figueroa said to her, hey, come on, let’s go. He understands that they’re shooting themselves in the foot
A little bit right now. Good pass by Dittman and a two handed push. Elliott rolls it out of the back row. Abbott’s Elliott captain Carly Evans with her eighth kill I think Elliott stayed down and roll shot at that ball because she wasn’t sure if she was going to be on
The ten foot line or not. That was really heads up, but it gave the Buffs an opportunity timeout. Juan Figueroa as West Texas A&M tries to pull away here in set three. Well well I’m sure if you’re Cal State LA, you knew this wouldn’t be easy, right? I mean, you knew this
Wouldn’t be an easy sweep here in the national championship match. I guarantee you there was a there was a conversation about the fact that if we have the opportunity we need to shut the door. Tampa didn’t quite shut the door last night. And we’re going to shut the door. West
Texas A&M trying to defend their title, trying to win back to back titles for the second time in program history. But Debbie, you brought this up earlier. If Kendra Pots wins the title, she would be the first West Texas A&M head coach to win two in a row because it was two different
Head coaches in 90 and 91. That’s right. It was Kim Hudson in 1991. It was Jim Jacomo, sorry, In 1990 it was Jim Giacomazzi in 1991. So So, yeah, there have been four different coaches. Glenville State probably means a little more too, for Kendra Pots, who played for the Lady Buffs three time
All American setter for last year’s division two National Coach of the Year. We mentioned this in the quarterfinals and we’ll bring it up again because some folks probably tune in and out and you talk during the quarterfinal match when they play Clarion about having to coach against the player for
Kendra Pots back in the day when she was a three time all-American. And that wasn’t fun from your seat, was it? No, it wasn’t. I was at Metro State at the time and I knew when she came into the program they were getting a keeper. I knew what
She was capable of. We at the same time had a really nice setter. Devin Heron out of Spokane, Washington. Those two were went toe to toe for four years against each other and put up huge numbers round the kill shy doubt for Cal State La. She’s been highly productive.
Yeah I think that was a great use of her. There too. I don’t think the lady buffs really expected her to get that ball in the air. Rountree has here tonight was on an overpass. She has six kills on eight swings, six and a quarter hitting percentage. Here’s Keaton serves
It to Carpenter Becker I’ll tell you what, she’s had some tough angles and she continues to keep it in play. And the lady buffs are absolutely doing a better job with that first ball contact. It’s creating better scenarios for these attackers. Nine kills for Becker. She’s hitting three over 18, hitting
300 for the year. Slide play to Grubbs. Timing wasn’t there She has to free ball it more Lynn setting up carpenter still looking for that first kill for her Jones looking for a touch get a net violation called on Cal State LA. She’s grinning ear to ear because she knows she got
Bailed out on that. One Moreland with a serve played by Henke. Elliott flies in out of the back row side out Golden Eagle 20 again for Elliott. You know you want to lead Elliott but she almost can almost let her too much on that one. She adjusted, she adjusted and didn’t take
Much off that that ball. Eliza Cannon will serve. She’s had a good week for the setter position in the middle for Dévots down on one knee Elliott plays it to Cannon Henke pushes it into the block. They’ll try Henke again, this time for the fingertips of Moreland. And the difference in those two
Opportunities. Cannon set Hankie a little tight on the first one, but she played the ball up off the block. Second one, she was off the net. She could attack high on the block. Cannon to Carpenter, not a good pass. Moreland And the net. The serve receives struggles and set one
That set back west Texas A&M. It spilled over into set two early on trying to pull out the third Miller passes for Moreland, a tip Georgevich met by Henke back side Elliott Golden Eagles within two 2119 Nice set by Cannon She’s you know we talk about the attackers so much
Cannon runs this offense and she does a fantastic job you know using the back row as much as she does is not as easy as she makes it look. All a setter in the tournament, two at six feet tall and Jones will tool the block to side out for the lady
Buffs. Well she was in on for blocks yesterday for the Golden Eagles so you know not only is she an offensive threat and a three rotations when she’s up front she hasn’t dumped today but she she can be an offensive threat and she’s a good blocker this is Emma Patterson Junior
Out of Amarillo in the canyon area and Key Off balance dug out by Moreland overhead pump set to Miller. We haven’t called her name much. The previous two sets Kentucky blocked away by Everts and Jones. Elliott off Speed Cross Court and a net violation is called on West Texas A&M
Trying to get to tight on the Elliott attack. It’s a big point coming up with Cal State LA Keene State Knox the point here, they’re within one set. Three win gives the Golden Eagles a national title Dig for Cannon Bumps that Elliott Dittmann looking for a touch and she
Won’t get it. Dittman’s having a rough night. She’s hitting negative before that swing, she gets such a good match. Yesterday. And Juan Figueroa would challenge this, but he’s down two one and he chooses not to. He thought maybe there was a touch. I think he’d lose that challenge. Overpass kill for
Stoll. Set point for West Texas A&M. Harley Everts Dittmann sends it to Cannon. Elliott The tip over dig for Patterson an overpass kill for Dittmann. Cal State LA trying to do to West Texas A&M with the lady buffs did to Tampa and set for yesterday it was 24 to 20 now
It’s 2421 an ace for Sanders she’s struggled this set with her serving. But I tell you that one the bottom just dropped out of it. And now Kendra Parks will use her final timeout. Well, we know it can be done. We saw this in set four last night when West
Texas A&M trailed Tampa 2420 ended up going to extra points, eventually won that set. 3634. And here’s a second look at the Sanders serve and this is part of why Jameson Sanders had so many serves in the net. This ball it’s got a peek and drop at the right time and it was
Dropping too early when she was hitting the net. That’s just an amazing serve. Another highly productive match from the service line for Cal State LA. They’ve been really good for the line all week. It’s eight aces now after the ace for Sanders. It was a good time for her to
Find the groove because she’s really had a rough set. First Denver appearance in the national championship for this program from Los Angeles. Rice. Meanwhile for the Lady Buffs from Canyon, there’s sixth appearance in the national championship. They are four and one. All time in this match. Four national titles, one runner
Up finish trying to go back to back. To start Hilbert. Few aces. Four errors for Sanders. We’ll see what we get right here . And it’s an error. Her fifth error. So high risk, high reward on the serving for Sanders and West Texas A&M stays alive for
At least one more set. 2522 the final in the third. We’ll go to the fourth and the national champion match. In NCAA division two. Community engagement is an initiative at all 25 national championships because student athletes want to give back while competing for a national title over the course of the year.
Division two student athletes have an opportunity to leave a lasting impression in local communities throughout the country, whether Division two student athletes are volunteering at hospitals, schools after school care programs, foster homes or retirement villages. They make a difference in the lives of others. In Division two, we rise
To the opportunity and make community engagement Ours all on my team. I thrive to work as hard as I can. I mean, whatever you do on the field is a positive correlation to whatever else you do, be it personal relationships, homework work the way you carry yourself off. I’ve
Changed since I got to King University. It’s really helped me to develop as a leader. I think it’s honestly the best thing that’s ever happened. In NCAA division. Two student athletes leave a lasting impression on their communities. That’s because Division two student athletes want to make a difference and truly be part of
Their surrounding community through community engagement. Thousands of student athletes from various backgrounds interact with community members who view them as role models. This interaction leaves a positive and perhaps even life changing impression on all those involved. In Division two. We rise to the opportunity and make community engaged. Spent hours.
To them, the whole world looks like an opportunity. We want to be seized. Built upon and made better for their sport and the people around it to student athletes every opportunity is a chance to change what could be and show the world what opportunity can do. The national championship match from the UPMC
Events Center in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Glad you’re with us. Adam Young, alongside the national champion head coach Debbie Hendrix, West Texas A&M, trying to go back to back and keep the trophy and Canyon, Texas, while the Golden Eagles are looking for their first ever national championship win. And
In that third set, Debbie, the hitting percentage went up in the side. Out percentage went up as well. For the ladybugs, yeah, they were at 60, which I think is about where they’d like to be somewhere between 60 and 70. You know, they’ve they’ve had sets within this tournament where
They’ve been as high as 70 to 80. But you know, I think right now, if they can just start to get that rhythm in their serve receive, it’s going to make a big difference in the overall match. The first ball contact was much improved in that third
Set, in that third set for the Golden Eagles. Four service errors, including the final point on the Sanders serve there. Only one ace. So seven aces in the first two sets. Only one in the third for Cal State LA. They still don’t have a block and their block was as
Good as it’s been all year and yesterday’s semifinal win, when they had 14 of them in three sets, still no blocks for West, I should say, for Cal State LA in that third set after four in the first. Two Sanders passes, Henke attacks dug out by Moreland Contreras overhead pump
Set to Miller Temple Lane handle for Sanders saved by Contreras. Elliott denied Miller and Everts . That’s the look of the defense when they’ve started to figure things out. They had a dig in system dig. They were able to transition out of that, made another defensive play and then
The block stopped. Block Number six for West Texas A&M. Henke off the head of Moreland best swing we’ve seen from her all tournament. Andy Pasztor still given a little bit of line out there to Hankey. I would take that line away. And key back to serve, send it to Patterson.
It’s out of the middle. Out side for Dittman, controlled by Patterson. Miller found the seam on Cal State LA though three balls it across they kept it alive. Miller again midair push Elliott for the righty antenna off the block and that violation earned West Texas A&M and Carly Evans. You’re just still
Starting to see the lady buffs get some slows. They’re tagging balls. They’re doing something with them. That’s that’s a sign of their defense really starting to get on track. And that usually brings the offense with it. Service here for Henke, a rare one for her. She is almost
2 to 1 with her serve Miss Ace two service ace ratio only her 35th error all year. Well, the lady buffs are starting to pass better, so maybe that Cal State LA is trying to pick up the intensity again and going for too much. Elliott Crosscourt for her 24th kill Debbie. She might
Get to 30 again. She might. And she’s hitting 354. That’s what always impresses me is a lot of times she has to take the out of system junk balls. And she still has such a high hitting efficiency. Elliott With 30 kills in the quarterfinals to tie her career high, a new
Season high tip kill for Jones to side out for West, Texas A&M. Those corners are still open. Good job there by Cami Jones. It doesn’t take much pace. You just got to push it deep enough. Out of play for Malik’s service. There for West Texas A&M, their fifth, only one ace.
Elliott, an ace, her fourth. She just splitting the space between Patterson and Miller. But it has so much pace. There’s no time to make a decision. Somebody’s going to have to have that seam overpass goes to Elliott from Miller Roundtree out of the middle met near line by Contreras three ball from Becker
Henke Cannon did an off the block. Contreras can’t get to it Dittman The kill. Timeout West Texas A&M Golden Eagles by three early on in the fourth trying to win the title. They’re starting to you know they made an error serving starting to serve a little tougher. But they are
Trying to disrupt this serve receive again even if the lady buffs bring the ball back, they’re getting these great opportunities and they’re doing a lot with them. That defensive transition so much easier when you’ve gotten your opponent out of system and serve, receive. You know, Debbie going back to
Thursday when Cal State LA picked off Wayne State in five sets, even when they had some struggles, the stretches of struggles were very brief. They bounce back nicely, quickly where it didn’t extend for a long period of time. Yeah, they’re very good at controlling runs at and you know, when teams
Push, they push back harder. And that’s what we’re seeing right now. 24 kills for Elliott Henke, not far behind with 15. This is a sixth seed trying to win the title Unranked entering the tournament, ten losses this year . They’re trying to win their first ever national championship
Ship. It’s been a magical run for Juan Figueroa’s squad. They got to the semis a year ago. Could not get to this match. They overcame a lot early on of the year and now they’re playing their absolute best here in early December in the dump play perfect time for that. The first
One tonight for Cannon. Yeah, it’s been a long time. She waited so long to do it. I think she caught the lady buffs off guard. But I’ve said this all tournament. She’s dumping with her right hand on tight balls. They’ve got to block that. They are not going to defend that
Back row. You can live with that right? Yeah. Yeah. She’s earned a few already. I think so. Baylor. Mount Mary seven for the Lady Luck. Well, she’s earned a few service errors, a few attack errors. Probably take the rest of the match off, and that would be okay. But there was a
Collective sigh on the West Texas side when she missed that serve bomb set to Elliott from the back row 25th Kill. I said it earlier in the match. You know, when teams push and Cal State LA pushes back harder, it’s usually off the hand of Elliott. She’s approaching 80
Kills for the week, 734 officially here in this tournament for Elliott back row for Miller Elliott gets it right back sends it to long right there but still hitting well over 300 She’s been a little higher error in this match on the out of system swings she’s been money in system. Bryant Lee
Contreras to Whitman Henke uses the block 16 kills for the sophomore out of Germany. That wasn’t a very aggressive serve by Contreras. If the lady buffs are going to win this match, they’ve got to stay tough at the service line. Overpass for Miller, First kill for Grubbs in the match. Senior
Out of Newhall, California, her fifth year in the program. Choedon with the serve sends it to Miller and it’s out of the middle off the block and down. Not much on it, just enough for Everts to scoot it in for kill number. Nine Gordon. 34 for players with nine kills. Now for
West Texas A&M. That’s their trademark, that balance. Kendra Potts calls it their superpower. Penn College serves for her 17. Now, you look at West Texas A&M, their kill leader for the year is Miller three kills per set. But you look at the Golden Eagles and you have Elliott
Almost five kills per set, 4.7 for the year. Well, on most teams you would say we’ll really focus on her and we ought to be able to slow her down. But every team that’s come in here with the intent of trying to slow Elliott down has failed at. Hollins Dominican (California)
Patterson back to serve for West Texas A&M. Panchayati system. Contreras got her hands on it, then converged with Patterson, Lane and Henke racks up her 18th kill. Thank you for the Maryland Hawaii Hilo . Gordon Eagles trying to pull away here in the fourth. They won the first two sets here
Tonight. Tough pass for Contreras. She’s Cannon digs. Elliott Good approach listed wide right though so that’s nine errors now for Elliott that’s the most we’ve seen in this tournament credit credit the lady buffs, she is looking at a very big block, looking at a big block. And you have to think at
Some point she would wear down a little bit and this is three matches in three days with a heavy workload. She’s in on the double stuff alongside middle blocker Shelby Grubs. Well, they’re taking her line and if she doesn’t have a set that allows her to hit the angle, I’m
Still talking about I think that the what she’s got to start to do is look to attack the block more high hands tool shots. That’s not usually she doesn’t spend a lot of time with those shots. Sanders keeps this one in play. Contreras Bump set leading into Miller hits the Jumbotron.
They’ll continue on free ball from Cannon back side for Jones lunging Dig Henke She’s doing it all here tonight. Dittman misses the near line. Dittman’s having a rough night. But I tell you what credit Cal State la the lady buffs are having such a hard time finding openings in
This defense. Block is taking an area. The defense in the back line is working really well around that. Elliott Back on track 26th, kill. Hasn’t been as efficient here tonight as she had been in the previous two matches this week. Elliott. Overpass Patterson met by Elliott Dittman, drops this one
In her fifth kill. You know what I appreciated by Elliott? You know, she’s just setting that ball. But she hustled to get in to be able to pick up the overpass and the ball over And I mean you know she’s recognize rising I’m going to create a
Problem I got to make sure I cover my spot in case that comes to me. We’ve said this numerous times this week, but you watch her play and she has way more than just how many kills she has. She does a lot of things well all across the floor for
Juan Figueroa. And that’s been on full display. Again, nine digs. She has four aces, a couple of blocks. And of course, the kills will show those. She has 26 of them on 327. She’s got a great volleyball IQ to you know, she knows what she’s setting up. She’ll take line for
A while. Then you’re going to take line away from her and she’ll hit cross court. And I mean, that’s what attackers should do. But she does it so proficiently, she like I think when she came out and tipped the first ball of the game, she knew everybody in the gym expected
Her to swing. And she’s just really a smart attacker. You saw her play last year on the national stage and it wasn’t three matches. It was only two. The numbers were not what they’ve been this year, but did you have a good takeaway from her last year? And where do you
Feel like she’s improved the most from last year to this year? That’s a great question. She she was so good the first day and the next day she was flat. The team was flat. And she didn’t have the ability at that point to put the team on her
Back. And carry them. She’s been much more mature about that at this tournament, really steady. And her team has been as well. Big moment here for West Texas A&M on serve receive control this time by Patterson Becker over dig swing for Miller Diving bump set for cannon leads to the
Kill for Dittman What a set by cannon Great set by Cannon and Dittman making this play she’s having she’s just now I think going to get above zero for her hitting percentage That’s a gutsy swing right there. Two straight kills for Dittman on 33 attacks. Only six kills so far
With six attack errors. One handed dig for Henke, Malice sets up Miller Rolls it crosscourt. Sanders got to it slapped by Henke back row out of system kill for her 19. Surfer Elliott It’s an ace her fifth in the match that’s just incredible. There is so much
Pace on this ball. 17 aces in the previous four for Elliott. And there’s another and now Debbie she can just wind up and let it fly with no pressure. And her consistency she is just been unbelievable in this this match. And yesterday. Cannon back row for Henke she buries it. We’re
Getting a challenge. We’ll get a challenge from Kendra Potts. I think this may be strategic more than anything. She does not have a time out left. Well, her assist jumped up and he was demonstrate eating something that he saw to her. I could not understand what he was saying,
But I think she might be twofold. You know, following his lead on that and then also using this as an opportunity to settle her team down. They’re challenging an illegal attack on Henke, who was right around that ten foot line. So they’re going to check to see if she passed
That ten foot line and stayed in the back row, the naked eye. It was awfully close. Either way, Kendra Pots can use it as a time out here. Oh yeah. She’s he was behind that ten foot line. But it’s twofold. You want to challenge that and you also want
To slow down. Elliott in any way possible from the service line and settle your team down. Because, I mean, it really is an unnerving when she’s serving that many balls with that kind of pace at you got to get your composure in serve, receive Andrew Potts loses the challenge
She has one remaining. Juan Figueroa has one left as well. It is all Golden Eagles here in the fourth. They won the first two sets. One set won by two, one set two by nine. West Texas A&M stayed alive in the third, winning by. Three Big swing here for Miller Crosscourt to Sanders
Dittman controlled by Patterson. Then Becker hammers it Elliott controls. Contreras steers it towards Miller off the shoulder of Emily Elliott That almost looked like the type of ball Emily Elliott hits at people right? She laughed it off. I think she served 8 or 9 straight there. She’s okay.
Season high in aces for Elliott, by the way, is eight. She has two shy of that. She has six approaching triple double territory with 11 digs and 26 kills. Torrey Miller in her 148th and final career match sends it to Henke Elliott for the back Rowan in. How about. 27
Kills It’s just machine like you know it’s like she it’s like Cannon has a third front row attacker when she’s in those five one rotations. An ace for Brooke Page her third in the match. Big fish pump from Juan Figueroa the seventh year head coach. The 12th ace for the
Golden Eagles. Back outside to Becker uses the block side out lady buffs much needed. Control over. Dittmann with the pass. They’re going to go back to Elliott this time too long. No touch. 20 to 11 Cal State LA trying to hang on here in the fourth and win the title. Their first ever
Contreras with the serve. Cannon for Henke. Becker off the block 11 kills for Becker. She’s had a good night. She has. And there just hasn’t been enough Complementary. Good night by enough players that this this this team runs on balanced offense. Miller from the back row right to Elliott Hankey The push
Miller can’t get to it. You know we’ve talked a lot about the performance of Emily Elliott a few of the other players but really I think a big part of why they’ve been successful. They came in with a brilliant game plan and they’ve executed it in a big way, looking for their
Third consecutive upset here at the national tournament. First it was three seed Wayne State, then it was two seed Umsl trying to take down the defending Champs Point goes to West Texas A&M and that violation on the Golden Eagles. Warren Wilson. Tomato’s Catholic. Serve for Moreland is way too long match
Point for Cal State, LA here in the national championship. Eliza Cannon, the senior out of Santa Ana, will serve for the Golden Eagles, serves it to Miller out of the middle is Jones Cannon the bump set Henke from the back row controlled by Miller Carpenter out of bounds. The magical run concludes with
Hardware for the first time ever , the Golden Eagles are national champions. They. Lane South Dakota. They are on the four. What What an unbelievable run for Juan Figueroa in the Cal State. La Golden Eagles. Very well deserved. I mean, from the day they put the first ball in play
On Thursday to this last point, they have executed at such a high level. They’ve been consistent. They’ve come in with great game plan. We talk about Emily Elliot so much, but they’ve just done everything well. We saw tears from Elliot, tears from Juan Figueroa. She’s been so composed and dialed in
And locked in all week. We get to see some emotion following the program’s first ever national title. Well, I’m sure a lot of folks looked at the record when they were coming in here. They were 21 and ten coming in. They were unranked in the national poll. They’re going
To finish the season 24 and ten, but they’re going to finish the season with a national title. Well, it’s all about the journey. Adam and to be honest with you, I said this yesterday. I really do wonder for if all that struggle you were you were in the Final Four, one of the
Final four teams last year, and then maybe they made some assumptions about things when they started the preseason. I know they scheduled tough, but maybe they had to figure out, hey, people aren’t going to roll over and just lay down for us. We’re going to have to get back
Together and work hard and build from there. And he talks about that journey and that may have made them so strong and have so much resolve at this point in the season. It’s Emily Elliot who puts the Cal State LA name in the national championship spot and Debbie, we talked about
Her all week, deservedly so. But man, oh man, this national championship match, a lot of players stepped up. Henk finished with 21 kills. Dittmann was really good down the stretch. Rountree had some good early moments and from the service line 12 Aces and it was all over the place, including
Brooke Paige, who finished with three aces. It took all of it, you know. I mean, we’ve seen teams that have a player who carries such a heavy load like Elliot, but they aren’t. They don’t go as far unless they have the supporting cast. And they’re well coached and they put all
The pieces together here. And that’s what happened this weekend. Cal State, LA put it all together for three matches that two wins the national championship. We thought coming in there could be a lot of parity this week. We had A46 match up in the championship match. A six seed wins the
National title. How good is this for Division two? Volleyball in general when there are so many good programs? It’s a little bit unpredictable. Now here at the National tournament, it’s great. I mean, you know, we had quite a few people saying this was going to be the strongest field we’d
Had at this tournament. And I think that’s been proven to be true. The second runner up finish for West Texas A&M, they go to four and two now a national championship matches and they’re going to be the runner up. Debbie But they’re going to be talking about that semifinal match in Canyon for
Years to come. The fact that they even got to this point with where they were and set forth one juncture yesterday, pretty unbelievable. It’s unbelievable that they were here. And, you know, I don’t think they were their freshest they have to be absolutely exhausted. They still found a way to fight and scrap
And get that that third set. So a lot of credit to the way they came in here with a very short turnaround and competed. And there were times where I saw things happen that I would contribute to fatigue. But I think you have to give the majority and I think they will.
I think they will say that is just too good a Cal State. LA team. You look at the final scores in this match too. I mean, go back to set two Cal State LA wins by nine. They win by 11 and set four. Nobody’s done this to West Texas A&M.
That shows you the level that the Golden Eagles were playing at here this week down the stretch. And if you did push and you gained a little the other teams, you know, including Tampa last night, they kind of shot themselves in the foot at times. This team did not. It’s the
First loss for West Texas A&M that did not come in five sets since September 10th of 2022. So that was early on a year ago when they were swept by UT Tyler . They won their final 26 matches. After that, a year ago. We’re going to finish this year
Winning 23 of their final 25, but falling just short here in the national championship match. You know, you feel for the teams that lose during the course of the week. And if you’re a West Texas A&M fan, there’s only two programs that get a chance to play on the final day. And you
Have to think about that. I know you don’t think about that, right now, but at some point it’s going to sink in that this was another phenomenal season for West Texas A&M, and there’s nothing to be down about after what they did this year. No they did some incredible things. One
Of the most incredible was last night. But you have to get away from it for a minute. You can’t feel that right now. All you feel is disappointment out. But boy, I tell you, it’s good for volleyball to continue to see new teams in the mix. And you
Got Cal State LA here winning their first we’ve had that happen with a couple of teams Wheeling Jesuit a few years ago the more parity we get the better the sport will be. Future is bright for both programs. Heck, the Golden Eagles will get Elliott back next year. Juan
Figueroa will also get Roundtree back. Henki back first. He’s going to lose some key pieces. He’s going to lose his setter. Eliza Cannon She was so good. Dittman had a great week. She finishes with 29 kills in the three matches in the tournament, but the two key cogs, Henke and
Elliott, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a better one two punch around the country going into next year. Well, it will be critical who is going to be taking Eliza Cannon’s job because she sets the ball so well. She gives such a great back row and front ball to
Elliott. You know, that’s going to be a key piece for Elliott continuing to put this kind of production together. They’re going to announce the all tournament team before the trophy presentation. Saint Louis Debbie, who do you think the MVP’s going to be? That’s a big discussion. I don’t know. I
Mean, goodness. I mean, we thought maybe I mean, Emily Elliott potentially could have got it. Win or lose. She was that remarkable during the course of the week for the Golden Eagles. And she, of course, will be the MVP. There were a lot of really good performances during the course
Of the week. We got to see a lot of great individual play, good team play a lot of upsets and upset after upset for this golden Eagle squad. So. Tatum still part of the all tournament team for West Texas A&M. She had five kills 364 hitting percentage in this match also
Had five blocks outside Lander California state University Los Angeles. Geitgey. Nany Henkai on the all tournament team. No brainer. She’s had her best year tonight, wasn’t she? She really was. I think in each match of the weekend she just got a little bit better with tonight being her best performance. And
Ki only a sophomore 21, kills only two. Attack errors tonight 380 hitting clip maybe more importantly, 18 digs kalevi. It’s part of the all tournament team. Her final collegiate match . Debbie she came back to canyon. She was at two schools previously came back to her hometown school and really went
Out on a high note. Individual all round Wellesley nine kills in this one for Everts. Also had a couple of digs. Haley Roundtree on the all tournament team for the Golden Eagles. Six kills in this match for 55 hitting percentage for the second straight day. Speaker Speaking of sophomores, Emma
Becker on the all tournament team 11 kills 346 hitting percentage for her tonight. Centre California state university in Los Angeles tonight by Isaac Hannah getting the respect she deserves after a great week setter sometimes get lost you know I mean but who made all this go? Eliza Cannon. Well deserved. Right here. Her
Final match collegiately. And she goes out a winner. Senior out of Santa Ana Carlow fornia Tori Miller a no brainer selection Auburn. What a marvelous career, Debbie that she put together. You know, and we talk about the numbers and the things that are physical, but it’s the heart and soul, the
Grit. Last night she really willed her team through that match and you and the MVP, Emily Elliott. And that’s Berry 27, kills. She finishes with 76 in 3 matches in the tournament. There were two things this weekend that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. One of them was
That match last night, and one of them was the three night performance by Emily Elliott. I mean, it was just extraordinary. She she kicked off the tournament, Cal State, La played the first match of the tournament on Thursday and she recorded 30 kills. As we look at the full all tournament team. So
Caitlin Bishop and Lexi rank from Umsl Natalie Perez JJ Ramirez from Tampa Stow Evans Becker and Miller from West Texas A&M. Rountree Henke, Cannon and the most outstanding player, Elliott from Cal State, La. And now will have the trophy presentation. And they’re going to start with West Texas A&M. Pfeiffer Florida. They the.
Ashland Vineyard. Angel We talked about Elliott and Henke coming back next year for Cal State, La. As a key pieces lost for the lady buffs with Miller graduating, Carly Evans graduating, but so much more coming back as well for Kendra Pots, the head coach there still a relatively young team to have
So much experience at this at this point. Auburn. Lily Cabrera . Season finishes for the lady buffs at 33 and. Four for the first nine five set loss. The entire year comes here in the national championship match as Cal State LA wins this 1 in 4 sets. Now, Debbie, I know you
Won it in 1997, but but I’m sure there were moments during your head coaching career where you took some tough losses. What would the message be going forward from Kendra Pots, even though you had such a good year? But it stops abruptly here in the match that you wanted so
Badly, They’ll come back hungry, you know, because they do feel like we didn’t accomplish our ultimate goal. They’ll come back hungry. But I tell you what, my compliment to them, they carried a big target all season long and you’re the defending national champion. The target is big. It’s really easy for your team
To get caught up in who’s who’s being acknowledged and things like that. And they really were a strong unit this year. They did a lot of great things together. I won some unbilled cleavable matches, so I hope they’ll be able to reflect on this well, but I mean, they’ll
Come back hungry next year. You mentioned that target on their back. They might have been the fourth seed this week, but they were also the preseason number one team in the country. And when the defending champs San, some teams would struggle with that and they handled it very well the entire year. It’s
Heavy. And I think the reason they handled it that well starts with their head coach, Kendra Pots and now the 2023, now Cal State, LA will get their trophies individually 24 volleyball and this will go down as one of the better runs in the national tournament ever coming
In as the sixth seed beating outstanding. Wayne State team on Thursday cruised by a really high level umsl team on Friday and then did what nobody’s done since early on a year ago and they defeated West Texas A&M in four sets. An impressive fashion here in the championship and
Even go back to Thursday, Debbie we Centre on Friday we said, well, how much will the Golden Eagles have left after such an exhausting five set win against Wayne State? They look just fine on Friday and Saturday after that. They are a well conditioned team because they
Look just as fresh and just as sharp and that’s rare in the national championship game that they look just as crisp today as they did on Thursday. So hats off to whoever’s been conditioning this team and preparing them to play two weekends back to back weekends of three set days. And they
Proved it to journey. They started this season two and six. They really struggled out of the gate. They’re going to finish their season with a 22 of their final 26 matches. Their first ever national championship. Davidson And I think that respect that Juan Figueroa was talking about, I think it’s
Going to come now. I think folks around the country will be talking about the Golden Eagles as one of the better programs around the country, especially with Elliot coming back and Kentucky coming back for next year. Yeah, he may be yearning for the days where he felt the
Disrespect and could use that to get that little chip on the shoulder. And now the motivation is going to have to be different from Elon Figueroa. And that’s what makes really good head coaches, is when you start winning like this, when you go to the semis a year ago and then
Win the National title this year , the target might be on their back going into the next year and they can’t play as the underdog anymore. But just watching Juan Figueroa, how he interacts with the players, his press conferences, how he talks, he seems like a really high level motivator in the players
Respond to him at a high level as he goes out there and gets his trophy. Well, I think he’s been very humble and gracious in his press conferences about how his team has played, about everything that’s been going on here with the tournament’s been run. California State University, Los Angeles, their
First ever national championship in their first ever trip to the national championship match, take some hardware back to LA Science social media. A couple of days ago, their school president was actually here supporting the program in Moon Township. So cool stuff from their program. Speaking of this venue and Robert Morris
University, this was an outstanding week. Gabby really good hosts. Everything went very smooth from the committee’s perspective as well. This was a whole lot of fun. People have no idea. I’ve served on the national Committee several years. They have no idea how hard they work. They get here either. Monday night or Tuesday.
They work all weekend. Of course, they do all the work during the course of the year with the rankings, the regional rankings and then the ranking for Nationals. But they run this tournament once it starts and there’s a lot of attention to detail needed. They work long, long days. So credit this
Tournament went very well. Hats off to the National committee. The week started with eight teams. We finished with one on top as Carlow Fornia State University, Los Angeles rolls through Wayne State Umsl in Al West, Texas A&M upsets all the way through and our seventh and our final match is in the books
As the Golden Eagles claim the program’s first ever national championship. Debbie, thanks so much. A whole lot of fun this week. It was great. And the volleyball was just through the roof. High level stuff. Golden Eagles win the title West Texas A&M falls up just short looking
To go back to back Big thanks to our entire crew. This week, our producer, Braden Bretsch, my partner Debbie Hendrix, Adam Young, saying so long from Moon Township, Pennsylvania, as the Golden Eagles win the national title at Division two. Adam Young saying so long from the UPMC event Center.
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Congrats to Cal State LA!