VB ranked third for USCAA championships

VB ranked third for USCAA championships

All season long, the Penn State Fayette volleyball team prepared to make a run at a second Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference championship and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division II championship.

On Tuesday, the volleyball team reached the first of the two goals, and Thursday afternoon, the USCAA announced the bids for its National Championship tournament that takes place November 7 through 9 at the Virginia Beach Field House.

Fayette (26-3) is the third seed.

"I'm definitely excited with our bracket," said Fayette coach Sam Swetz. "We play our best against good teams and I am excited to see our best the whole tournament."

Fayette will open with a familiar foe in second-seeded Johnson and Wales (NC) (20-7), the defending USCAA champions, to open pool play.

A year ago, Fayette lost to Johnson and Wales in the semifinals.

"I am excited to finally get our rematch with Johnson and Wales from last year," Swetz said. "We are a very different team this year."

Fayette is third in the USCAA in kills and seventh in digs. Johnson and Wales Charlotte (18-7) is top five in kills, digs and assists.

University of Cincinnati-Clermont (24-6), with wins over both Johnson and Wales and Fayette this season, are the top seed.

Clermont leads the nation in kills with 1,141, assists with 1,128 service aces with 359 and total blocks with 306.

Fayette is third in the USCAA in kills and seventh in digs while Johnson and Wales Charlotte (18-7) is in the top five in kills, digs and assists.

Two more teams from the PSUAC, Penn State Beaver (19-10) and Penn State Greater Allegheny (18-10), are making their first appearances at the USCAAs.

Beaver is ranked fourth and Greater Allegheny fifth.

Great Bay Community College (12-2) is the sixth seed.

Pool A consists of Clermont, Beaver and Greater Allegheny while Pool B is made up of Johnson and Wales, Fayette and GBCC.

Fayette take on Johnson and Wales Thursday at 3:30 PM and will then face GBCC on Friday at 11:30 AM.

The top two teams from each Pool advance to the semifinals Friday afternoon with the championship taking place Saturday.

For more information on the championships, go to

www.uscaafallchampionships.com.

For more information on the volleyball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/wvball/index.