STANDISH, ME - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) has announced the 2012 Women's Volleyball Championship bracket, featuring eight teams with tournament play scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 30th.
Saint Joseph's (22-7, 9-3 GNAC) captured the No. 3 seed thanks to a head-to-head 3-2 thriller over Simmons College on October 13th – a victory that proved to be the tie-breaker for the #3 slot as both squads finished with an identical conference record.
The Monks are set to host #6 Johnson & Wales University (13-18, 8-4 GNAC) in a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal match on Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM. The conference tourney tilt will be the first the Monks have hosted in six seasons as a GNAC member.
Behind senior middle hitter Sarah Hawkes (Pownal, Maine), St. Joe's closed the regular season strong winning 10 of 12 matches down the stretch. Earlier this year, Hawkes became just the fourth player in GNAC history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career.
Johnson & Wales bested the Monks head to head, 3-2, on October 6th and is led by junior libero Giselle Cram-Ortiz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico), who leads the GNAC in digs with 609 on the year.
Rivier University holds the No. 1 seed led by senior outside hitter Kenna Finlayson (Derry, N.H.). Finlayson ranks first in the GNAC in kills with 444 winners, averaging a league-high 4.72 kills per set. The Raiders will play host to Lasell College who earned the No. 8 seed with a 6-6 GNAC mark.
Emerson College earns the No. 2 seed after posting a 10-2 GNAC mark. The Lions are led by sophomore middle blocker Kat Rice (Delmar, N.Y.) who leads the GNAC with a .359 attacking percentage while also averaging 3.18 kills per set. Emerson will take on the No. 7 seed, Mount Ida College who posted a 6-6 GNAC record. Senior outside hitter Jennifer Ferreira (Shirley, Mass.) leads the Mustangs while ranking second in the GNAC with 370 kills on the year.
The 4/5 matchup will be played between Fenway neighbors as Simmons College will host Emmanuel College. The Sharks finished at 9-3 in league action while the Saints were 8-4. During the regular-season, Simmons topped EC 3-0 on October 23rd.
Winners of the GNAC quarterfinals will meet in the semifinals on Thursday, November 1st at the site of the higher seeds with the GNAC Championship set for Saturday, November 3rd at the site of the tourney's highest remaining seed.
2012 GNAC Volleyball Tournament Bracket
COURTESY OF GNAC SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
