SAGE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM TO PARTICIPATE IN NCAA REGIONALS AT NEARBY WILLIAMS COLLEGE
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Troy, NY – The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball team won the 2014 Skyline Conference Championship and earned a spot in the 2014 NCAA Division III Tournament. Sage was chosen to participate in the regional tournament that will take place on the campus of Williams College (Williamstown, MA) on November 14-16.
The Gators bring a record 24-6 into the NCAA Tournament and will face the Ephs of Williams College in the first round of the tournament. Seeded first, Williams earned their berth after capturing the 2014 NESCAC Championship and own a record of 25-4 on the year. The 2014 Skyline Championship is the third in Sage's program history after winning back to back titles in 2007 and 2008.
Sage's senior tri-captain Helen Putriment (Troy, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville) was named the 2014 Skyline Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player for her play. On Saturday in the Skyline Championship match, she connected for 17 kills and 29 digs and posted a .410 hitting percentage in leading the team to the title. On her 2014 season, she leads the team with her impressive 13 double-doubles. Overall as a Gator, Putriment has 1,352 career kills which is No. 2 only behind the record held by Caitlin (CJ) Ostrowski with 1,411 (2004-2006). She also has 1,693 career digs and moved into the No. 3 spot on Saturday with her 1,693 career digs. She is No. 14 on the career aces list with 118 aces as a Gator.
Senior Rachel Martin (Troy, NY/Troy), another Skyline First Team pick, added 14 kills with eight digs and two solo blocks in the championship match. Sophomore libero Siena Wilder (Ballston Spa, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Spa), another Skyline First Team pick, added 23 digs in the action with two aces. Sophomore setter and team tri-captain Rachel Liebig (Hartford, NY/Hartford), who earned placement on the Skyline Second Team, tallied 41 setting assists with two kills.
Rookie Missy Scheiderman (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) added 17 digs for the Gators as they finished the afternoon with 108 digs and held the Knights to a .130 attack percentage. The Gators combined for 52 kills and posted a .257 attack percentage as well in the contest.
Williams College (25-4) which won its second consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference Tournament championship Sunday, has been selected as a host of one of eight NCAA Division III Tournament sites this weekend.
The Ephs, making their 12th NCAA Tournament appearance, will host a regional for the second year in a row. Williams advanced to the regional final a year ago before falling to UMass-Boston in four sets.
All seven matches of the eight-team regional will be played in Chandler Gymnasium. There are no advance ticket sales. Ticket prices will be $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens, $3 for children 12 and under, with children two-years of age and younger getting in free.
All-session ticket packages can be purchased for $12 for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens and $7 for children under 12.
The regional begins Friday at 12:30 p.m. with Rivier (28-6) playing MIT (27-5). At 3 p.m. Friday, Regis (24-8) will square off against Bowdoin (21-8). At 5:30 p.m. Friday, Colby Sawyer (27-8) will play Babson (25-8) and an 8 p.m., the Ephs face The Sage Colleges (25-6).
Saturday, the first semifinal begins at 2:30 p.m. and the second at 5 p.m. The regional championship match will be played Sunday at 4 p.m.
