BUTLER, Pa. --- Playing in one of the toughest district tournaments in the nation, the No. 2 Owens Community College (26-7) volleyball team toppled undefeated No. 3 Butler County Community College and Sandhills Community College in straight sets to claim the Mid-Atlantic District A/B championship on Saturday at Butler's Pioneer Field House.
With the title, the Express advances to the NJCAA Division III national tournament in Rochester, Minn. Nov. 11-13. The two-time defending national champions, Owens extended its streak of consecutive district titles to six straight, which includes all three since moving to the Division III level.
In a 25-11, 25-13, 25-12 semifinal win over Sandhills Community College (20-7), Sydnie Meinke exploded for a match-high 13 kills while hitting .571 and adding eight digs. Maddie White chipped in nine kills and eight digs as Owens hit .333 as a team. Emily Fallis (21) and Jessica Dohm (10) combined for 31 of the team's 34 assists, and Fallis finished off a double-double with 10 digs. McKenna Babcock, who had five digs and three blocks, also led the team with two aces. Taylor Momany was a force at the net with seven blocks (three solo). Moreover, Alexis Sarvo joined Babcock with three blocks.
In a 26-24, 25-14, 25-13 championship win over previously undefeated Butler County (16-1), White (9) and Babcock (8) combined for 17 of the team's 37 kills. The Express hit .290 as a team and had six players notch at least four kills. Dohm (21) and Fallis (12) totaled 33 assists. The service line proved to be a valuable tool for Owens as the team racked up nine, led by three apiece from Fallis and Babcock.
Defensively, Babcock (14) and Meinke (11) combined for 25 of the team's 52 digs. Sydney Alford chipped in eight of the remaining 27, and Sarvo led the team with four blocks (three solo).
Notes
Owens is now 37-3 in postseason play over the past five-plus seasons with two national titles, a national runner-up finish, a third-place finish and a ninth-place finish. Since moving to the Division III level, the Red and White are 19-0 over the past two-plus seasons, and they have dropped just three total sets over those 19 matches.
Butler County, which entered the tournament undefeated, knocked off Sandhills in a five-set battle to open Saturday. They will also advance to the national tournament as the district will have two representatives.
For complete coverage of Owens Athletics, follow the Express on Twitter at @owensexpress, on Instagram at @owensexpressathletics, on Facebook at /awinningtradition and online at OwensExpress.com.
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