Lady Wolverines capture ECAC volleyball crown

BETHLEHEM, PA, November 10, 2001--It was as easy as 1-2-3, or 3-2-1 in this case.

The sixth-seeded Grove City College women's volleyball team defeated the third-, second- and top-seeded teams at the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Championship to claim its first ECAC title since 1995 and third overall.  The Lady Wolverines secured the crown with a four-set victory over No. 1 seed and tournament host Moravian College Saturday night, 24-30, 30-17, 30-24, 30-26.

Senior Julie Porter (Medina, OH/Highland) recorded a team-high 14 kills in the championship match and was voted the tournament's Most Valuable Player.  Junior Katie Summers (Staunton, VA/Grace Christian) posted 13 kills, while seniors Sarah Gardner (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) and Casey Engelbert (Warren, PA/Warren County Christian) contributed nine and six kills, respectively.  Junior Cara Denniston (Grove City, PA/Grove City) tallied 39 assists and three straight serving aces late in the fourth game to spark the victory.  Summers added 19 digs and sophomore Renee Allen (Verona, PA/Penn Hills) had 18 digs. 

Grove City advanced to the finals with a three-set sweep over No. 2 Franklin & Marshall College earlier in the day, 30-28, 30-27, 30-26.  Summers keyed the win with a team-high 23 kills, equaling her total in the first-round victory over third-seeded Johns Hopkins.  Porter rung up 10 kills and a team-high 20 digs.  Denniston had 47 assists, while freshman Kate DiMarco (Slate Hill, NY/Minisink Valley) chipped in with 17 digs.

The Lady Wolverines won their first ECAC title in 1994 with a 3-0 sweep over Rutgers University-Newark.  They defended their crown with a three-set victory over Vassar College in 1995.

Grove City closed the season with an overall record of 22-11.

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