Box Score Box score

WINGATE, N.C. – Dianna Craine (Oshawa, Ontario, University of Tulsa) recorded another double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs as No. 24 (AVCA Division II Top 25) swept No. 21 Armstrong Atlantic State University 3-0 (25-19, 29-27, 25-14) in a semifinal match of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Arena. Flagler advances to Sunday's regional final against the host school, Wingate University, at 4 p.m.

Flagler won its 14th match in a row and improved to 30-6 overall. The Saints have defeated the Pirates in three-of-the-four-meetings this season. Armstrong ended its season with a 36-3 record.

Craine added five blocks and recorded a .435 hitting percentage with just one error on 23 attempts. Sophie Meyer (Orlando, Fla., The Geneva School) added 11 kills and hit .450 for the Saints. Emilee Taylor (Temple Terrace, Fla., Armwood HS) chipped in with nine kills, seven digs and served up three aces. Crystal Niederriter (Merritt Island, Fla., Merritt Island HS) tacked on eight kills, hit .353 and recorded three blocks. Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla., Spanish River HS) collected a team-high 19 digs while Olivia Snipes (Easley, S.C., Easley HS) tallied 38 assists.

Flagler hit .303 with 46 kills and just 13 errors on 109 attempts. The Saints recorded seven aces and 9.0 team blocks.

Amanda Jones recorded a match-high 13 kills while Jessica Santaniello recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Brendyce Budd led the team with 12 digs and Ashley Seal tallied 34 assists.  

Flagler jumped out to a 12-4 lead in the first set and withstood an Armstrong rally to cut the lead to 15-12 en route to a 25-19 win. The Saints used a balanced scoring attack with five players recording three kills. Flagler hit .382 with 16 kills and three errors on 34 swings.

The second set featured 14 ties and seven lead changes. Armstrong had its second opportunity at set point broken when Craine powered home a kill to tie the set at 27-all. A double-block by Niederriter and Craine allowed Flagler to serve set point and Craine followed with a kill to end the set in favor of the Saints, 29-27. Jones led Armstrong with eight kills in the set, but four Flagler players led the attack, including three with four kills apiece. Gnaan was active on defense with 11 digs.

Flagler erased an early 3-1 lead by Armstrong by reeling off four consecutive points and the Saints never trailed again. Meyer had a pair of kills and Rachel Stacy (Orlando, Fla., Timber Creek HS) served up an ace in the rally.

The Pirates closed to within a point (7-6), but the Saints blew the set wide open by scoring the next seven points en route to a 25-14 win. Three attack errors by Armstrong, along with a pair of aces by Taylor keyed the run.

For the third consecutive year, Flagler and Wingate will meet in the regional final. Flagler won it in 2009 and Wingate took last year's match.

  Flagler def. Armstrong 25-19,29-27,25-14

  Armstrong (36-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Jones, Amanda 13-0-1;
  Santaniello, Jessica 10-0-1; Budd, Brendyce 8-0-0; Wolf, Brittany
  4-0-2; Pittman, Leia 4-0-1; Seal, Ashley 1-0-1; Howett, Casey 0-1-0;
  Totals 40-1-4.0. (Assists) - Seal, Ashley 34. (Dig leaders) - Budd,
  Brendyce 12; Santaniello, Jessica 10; Howett, Casey 8

  Flagler (30-6) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Meyer, Sophie 11-2-0; Craine,
  Dianna 11-0-5; Taylor, Emilee 9-3-3; Niederriter, Crystal 8-0-3;
  Stacy, Rachel 5-1-2; Snipes, Olivia 1-0-1; Lancaster, Laura B. 1-0-0;
  Gnann, Casey 0-1-0; Totals 46-7-9.0. (Assists) - Snipes, Olivia 38.
  (Dig leaders) - Gnann, Casey 19; Craine, Dianna 10

  Site: Wingate, N.C. (Cuddy Arena)
  Date: Nov 19, 2011   Attend: 50   Time: 1:30
  Referees: Suzanne Weisenburger, Dennis Branch, Brian Webb
  NCAA Division II Southeast Region Semifinal
  #3 Armstrong vs. #2 Flagler