Widener's volleyball team is off to the ECAC South Tournament a second consecutive year and on Wednesday host Swarthmore at 7:00 pm in the quarterfinals at Schwartz Center.
Widener (21-15, 5-2 Commonwealth Conference) is the third seed for the tournament and Swarthmore is the No. 6 seed. It is the Pride's second postseason appearance after beating City College of New York last year in the quarterfinals before losing to Penn State Behrend in the semifinals.
The volleyball squad notched its seventh 20-win season in school history and it is the first time the team has consecutive 20-win years since posting four straight from 1988-91.
Widener has a strong unit that includes senior hitter Devan Green (Monroe Center, IL), named first team all-conference last season. She is sixth in the league this season with a .263 hitting percentage and ninth with 2.37 kills per set.
Sophomore setter Jamie Ballew (Media, PA), last season's conference Rookie of the Year and second team all-league pick, is third in the conference with 8.66 assists per set. Freshman Angela DiMaria (Warrington, PA) is eighth in the league with 2.43 kills per set and sophomore Alectra Edison (Lancaster, CA) is ninth with a .235 hitting percentage.
Freshman Meghan Spence (Havertown, PA) is second in the conference with 4.92 digs per set and senior Danielle Wetling (Upper Darby, PA), picked second team all-league last season, is third on the team with 2.16 kills per set.
Widener this season advanced to the conference tournament a third straight year before bowing to eventual champion Lebanon Valley in the semifinals.
The contest is a rematch from September 19, in which the Pride notched a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20) in Aston, PA as part of the “320 Challenge.” DiMaria had 15 kills, Ballew dished 41 assists, Spence totaled 18 digs and freshman Chelsea Hoeffler (Cranford, NJ) also had 18 digs.
Wednesday's winner goes to the semifinals on Saturday against either second-seeded Gallaudet or No. 7 seed Pittsburgh-Bradford. The semifinals and final both are hosted at the highest remaining seed.
ECAC South Volleyball Tournament
Wednesday, November 11 – Quarterfinals
No. 6 Swarthmore (19-10) at No. 3 Widener (21-15), 7:00 pm
No. 8 Penn State Altoona (17-14) at No. 1 DeSales (21-8), 7:00 pm
No. 7 Pittsburgh-Bradford (18-5) at No. 2 Gallaudet (24-14), 8:00 pm
No. 5 Saint Vincent (22-10) at No. 4 Penn St. Behrend (22-10), 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 14 – Semifinals
Both at highest remaining seed
2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner
Saturday, November 14 – Final
at semifinal host
