Box Score Boxscore

WINGATE, N.C. − Meg Weathersby (Maitland, Fla., Orangewood Christian) recorded a team-high 14 kills, 11 digs and seven total blocks to help lead Flagler College to a 3-1 (25-17, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23) win over Armstrong Atlantic State University in a quarterfinal match of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Friday afternoon at Cuddy Arena.

Flagler improved to 28-8 over and won its eighth straight match over Armstrong, including the fourth time this season. Armstrong Atlantic ends its season with a 22-14 record.

Dianna Craine (Oshawa, Ontario, University of Tulsa) added 13 kills, nine digs and three total blocks for the Saints while Rebecca Royal tallied 18 assists and five total blocks. Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla., Spanish River HS) led the defense with 13 digs and Olivia Snipes (Easley, S.C., Easley HS) tallied 22 assists. Crystal Niederriter (Merritt Island, Fla., Merritt Island HS) and Sophie Meyer (Orlando, Fla., The Geneva School) added nine and eight kills, respectively.

Amanda Jones and Gwen Clarke each recorded 14 kills for the Pirates. Clarke added three total blocks to her line. Casey Howett collected a match-high 16 digs while Megan Pando tallied a match-high 44 assists. Brittany Wolf recorded seven total blocks for Armstrong.

The Saints scored six unanswered point early in the first set to take a commanding 8-2 lead and forced the Pirates to take a timeout. Three of the points were from attack errors by Armstrong and two more were aces by Craine. Flagler hit .323 for the set en route to a 25-17 win.

In the second set, Flagler rallied from a 14-11 deficit with a 6-0 run. Four consecutive attack errors by Armstrong helped Flagler erase the Pirate advantage. The Pirates hit .000 for the set as the Saints won 25-17.

Armstrong controlled almost the entire third set. The Pirates rattled off four straight points to take an 8-4 lead and never looked back. That was part of a 9-1 run by AASU, but the Pirates had to hold on in the end, winning 25-21.

Armstrong led 16-12 in the fourth set, but a 7-2 run by Flagler wiped out the deficit and Craine's kill gave the Saints a short-lived 19-18 lead. Torrie Bevolo of AASU tied the match at 19 with a kill. Niederriter's kill would give the Saints a lead they would not relinquish (23-22) and Flagler went on to win the set 25-23 and take the match.

Flagler, the No. 2-seed, will take on Carson-Newman College, the No. 6 seed, tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the first semifinal. Carson-Newman upset the No. 3 seed, Tusculum College, 3-1, in the first quarterfinal of the day.


Flagler def. Armstrong Atlantic 25-17,25-17,21-25,25-23

Armstrong Atlantic (22-14) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Clarke, Gwen 14-0-3;
Jones, Amanda 14-2-2; Santaniello, Jessica 9-0-0; Bevolo, Torrie
6-1-4; Wolf, Brittany 4-0-7; Davis, Stacey 0-1-0; Pando, Megan 0-1-1;
Totals 47-5-10.0. (Assists) - Pando, Megan 44. (Dig leaders) - Howett,
Casey 16; Davis, Stacey 10; Santaniello, Jessica 9; Bevolo, Torrie 9

Flagler (28-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Weathersby, Meg 14-0-7; Craine,
Dianna 13-3-3; Niederriter, Crystal 9-1-1; Meyer, Sophie 8-0-2;
Lancaster, Laura B. 4-2-2; Royal, Rebecca 3-0-5; Snipes, Olivia 1-0-0;
Totals 52-6-11.0. (Assists) - Snipes, Olivia 22; Royal, Rebecca 18.
(Dig leaders) - Gnann, Casey 13; Weathersby, Meg 11; Craine, Dianna 9;
Unitas, Jillian 9

Site: Wingate, N.C. (Cuddy Arena)
Date: Nov 19, 2010 Attend: 102 Time: 1:32
Referees: David Mabe, Claire Rauscher
Flagler advances to semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m.