Box Score Boxscore

SAVANNAH, Ga. − Dianna Craine (Oshawa, Ontario, University of Tulsa) recorded a match-high 13 kills, hit .300 and collected six digs to help lead Flagler College to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21) win over Armstrong Atlantic State University in the championship match of the Peach Belt Conference Volleyball Tournament Sunday afternoon at “The ARC.” Flagler receives the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Flagler (27-8) won its second consecutive conference tournament title, and only in its second year in the league. The last team to win back-to-back conference tournament titles was USC Aiken (2006-07). Armstrong Atlantic (22-13) will wait and see if it earns one of the five at-large berths to next weekend's regional tournament. The official unveiling of the bracket will take place at 10 p.m. Eastern on ncaa.com.

Craine was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player as she finished with 34 kills and a team-high 30 digs in three matches this weekend. Meg Weathersby (Maitland, Fla., Orangewood Christian)was selected to the All-Tournament Team for the second year in a row. She led the team with 37 kills, hit .397, added 16 digs and recorded 11 total blocks in the tournament.

Weathersby added 10 kills, hit .318 and recorded four total blocks for the Saints. Rachel Stacy (Orlando, Fla., Timber Creek HS), last year's tournament MVP, chipped in with nine kills, hit .533 and recorded five total blocks. Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla., Spanish River HS) led the defense with 12 digs and Rebecca Royal (Green Cove Springs, Fla., Fleming Island HS) tallied a team-high 25 assists.

Gwen Clarke led the Pirates with eight kills and three total blocks. She also hit .438. Torrie Bevolo and Amanda Jones each chipped in with seven kills. Jessica Santaniello recorded six kills and eight digs. Casey Howett led the defense with nine digs and Megan Pando tallied 27 assists.

Flagler never trailed in the first set, but both teams hit well with Flagler hitting .429 and Armstrong .290. The Saints took the lead for good after a double-block by Weathersby and Sophie Meyer (Orlando, Fla., The Geneva School) gave Flagler a 7-6 lead.

The second set went back-and-forth with 12 ties and six lead changes. The Saints seized control on a kill by Stacy to give Flagler a 19-18 lead.

The third set was almost all Flagler as it had built up a 21-12 cushion, but had to stave off an 8-2 run by Armstrong Atlantic and took the match on a service error, 25-21.


Flagler def. Armstrong Atlantic 25-19,25-21,25-21

Armstrong Atlantic (22-13) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Clarke, Gwen 8-0-3;
Jones, Amanda 7-0-3; Bevolo, Torrie 7-0-1; Santaniello, Jessica 6-0-2;
Wolf, Brittany 5-0-2; Pando, Megan 1-2-0; Totals 34-2-6.0. (Assists) -
Pando, Megan 27. (Dig leaders) - Howett, Casey 9; Pando, Megan 8;
Santaniello, Jessica 8

Flagler (27-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Craine, Dianna 13-1-1;
Weathersby, Meg 10-0-4; Stacy, Rachel 9-0-5; Lancaster, Laura B.
5-0-1; Meyer, Sophie 2-0-3; Royal, Rebecca 0-0-3; Totals 39-1-9.0.
(Assists) - Royal, Rebecca 25; Snipes, Olivia 10. (Dig leaders) -
Gnann, Casey 12; Lancaster, Laura B. 8

Site: Savannah, Ga. (The ARC)
Date: Nov 14, 2010 Attend: 175 Time: 1:02
Referees:
2010 PBC Volleyball Championship Match