The Malone University volleyball team concluded its 2009 season on Saturday morning with a 3-1 loss to Mt. Vernon Nazarene University in the semifinal round of the NCCAA National Tournament.  The sixth-seeded Pioneers had tallied a 3-1 record during pool play on Thursday and Friday to earn a spot in Saturday’s first semifinal match.  Malone took the first set of the day 28-26 before the Cougars evened the match with a 25-23 victory in set two.  Mt. Vernon Nazarene, the top seed among the 10-team national tournament field, then put the match away by claiming the next two sets by final scores of 25-15 and 25-16.

Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) paced the Malone attack with 13 kills and two solo blocks.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied 10 kills and 16 digs while senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) also totaled 10 kills.  Other contributors included junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) with seven kills and 14 digs, junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) with seven kills and a team-high 21 digs and freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) with 39 assists and 15 digs.

Malone wrapped up its season with a 31-10 overall record, marking the program’s highest win total since 2001.  In recognition of their strong play throughout the national event, Gahagan and Ickes were each named to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team. 

The Malone University volleyball team concluded pool play at the NCCAA National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida on Friday evening with a 25-21, 25-13, 25-14 victory against tenth-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) College.  With the win, the sixth-seeded Pioneers improved their pool play record to 3-1 to clinch a runner-up finish in Pool B and earn one of four spots in Saturday’s semifinal round.  Malone, now 31-9 on the season, will move on to face fellow NCCAA East Region and American Mideast Conference member Mt. Vernon Nazarene University at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.  Should the Pioneers knock off the top-seeded Cougars, Malone would advance to the NCCAA National Championship Game at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of the other semifinal match between second-seeded Campbellsville (KY) University and eighth-seeded Bryan (TN) College.

Against Pensacola Christian, junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) led the way for the Pioneers with 13 kills.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) followed with seven kills. Sophomore right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.), senior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.), and junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) all tallied four kills apiece while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) chipped in with 33 assists and 11 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team played four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool advanced to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

The Malone University volleyball team improved its pool play record at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament to 2-1 on Friday afternoon with a 25-23, 25-15, 25-23 straight-set victory against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University.  The sixth-seeded Pioneers improved to 30-9 overall with the win, marking the eighth time in the history of the program that Malone has reached the 30-win plateau.  The Pioneers can lock up a spot in the tournament’s semifinal round with a victory in their final pool play match which is slated for 6:00 p.m. Friday evening against tenth-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) College.

In the win against Spring Arbor, junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) registered a team-high 11 kills to go with 14 digs and two solo blocks.  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) also posted 11 kills with 10 digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) notched 10 kills and three blocks (two solo) while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) posted 37 assists and 14 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

The Malone University volleyball team lost to Campbellsville (KY) University 3-1 on Thursday during day one of pool play at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida.  The Tigers, seeded second out of 10 teams at the event, took the first set of the match 25-23 before the sixth-seeded Pioneers evened the contest with a 25-20 victory in set two.  Campbellsville was able to put the match away, though, by winning sets three and four by identical scores of 25-21 and 25-21.  The Pioneers, who earlier on Thursday afternoon topped third-seeded Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) University 3-0, moved their overall record to 29-9 and enter day two of pool play (Friday) with a 1-1 national tournament mark.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) paced Malone with 11 kills and 18 digs.  Junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) totaled nine kills, three service aces, 13 digs and two solo blocks.  Senior middle hitters Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) and Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) each added seven kills.  Schoolcraft also posted six blocks (five solo) while Gann registered two solo blocks.  Freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) also made significant contributions with 34 assists and 15 digs.

The 10-team national tournament field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Malone will continue pool play on Friday with matches slated against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University at 2:00 p.m. and 10th-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) University at 6:00 p.m.  Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

The Malone University volleyball team, led by 11th-year head coach Tanya Hockman, began pool play competition at the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida on Thursday afternoon with a 25-16, 25-22, 25-18 win against Southwestern Assemblies of God (TX) University.  The Pioneers, seeded sixth in the 10-team event, improved to 29-8 overall with the win while the third-seeded Lady Lions dropped to 27-11.

Junior outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) led the way for the Pioneers with 10 kills and nine digs.  Senior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (pictured left; McKinley H.S.) followed with eight kills and three solo blocks while junior outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) tallied seven kills, two service aces, nine digs and seven blocks (four solo).  Junior right side hitter Emily Beiting (Ft. Thomas, KY) registered five kills and 13 digs while freshman setter Jackie Schwamberger (Madison Comprehensive H.S.) contributed 27 assists and 14 digs.

The 10-team field was divided into two pools prior to the event and each participating team is scheduled to play four pool-play matches over the first two days of competition.  The top two finishers from each pool will then advance to the semifinals slated for 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th.  The NCCAA National Championship game will then follow at 3:00 p.m.  

Malone will play again on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against second-seeded Campbellsville (KY) University.  The Pioneers will then wrap up pool play on Friday with matches slated against seventh-seeded Spring Arbor (MI) University at 2:00 p.m. and 10th-seeded Pensacola Christian (FL) University at 6:00 p.m.  Live results and video streaming of each tournament match is available through the NCCAA National Tournament website at http://www.nccaachampionships.com/d1volleyballresults.html.

CLICK HERE for more NCCAA National Tournament Information.