Clarion Postseason History

CLARION – The Clarion University women's volleyball team will start its PSAC Title defense at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Edinboro in the PSAC quarterfinals.
 
The Golden Eagles (18-11 overall, 14-5 PSAC West) finished the regular season in a three-way tie for second place in the PSAC West with Edinboro (22-7, 14-5) and Gannon (20-10, 14-5) but are seeded third because of the PSAC tiebreaker (see explanation in notes).
 
Despite going on the road, Clarion should feel comfortable at Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse having won four straight in the building including going 3-0 there during last year's NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament that saw the Golden Eagles top Chowan, Wheeling Jesuit and California to earn their first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Clarion also beat Edinboro 3-1 at McComb Oct. 28 to even the season series at 1-1. It was the Golden Eagles first win over Edinboro on the road since 2006.
 
“I definitely think we have experience in that gym,” Clarion's fifth-year head coach Jennifer Mills said. “That is a benefit. On the same hand, it's the playoffs, it's their place and it's going to be their fans. Anything can happen at this point. You can't take anyone lightly. You can't get too comfortable. You have to come out and be ready to go.”
 
Tuesday's first-round matchup is a rematch of last season's PSAC Title game won 3-1 by Clarion at Clarion, and it will be the third meeting between the schools this season (Edinboro defeated the Golden Eagles 3-2 at Clarion Sept. 30).
 
“I'm not so much focused on playing them for the third time and more focused on the fact we are playing consistently,” Mills said. “I think the benefit of playing them three times is we know what to expect from them. Granted, I definitely think they are going to make some changes, but right now we know what we need to focus on.”
 
Clarion returns its entire starting lineup from last year's PSAC Title team, and Mills is hoping the experienced gained during the run to the Elite Eight will be beneficial in this season's postseason.
 
“I definitely think it helps,” Mills said. “They've got the experience. They've been there. Those nerves should be gone somewhat. There are still nerves of playing and what's at stake, but it definitely helps having played in those situations before.
 
“At the same time, it's a new year, and we've proven that before with our rollercoaster ride of a season. For us, right now, our biggest focus is on now not last year.”
 
The Golden Eagles enter the postseason playing some of their best volleyball of the season having won 10 of their past 12 matches.
 
“I'm proud of the way they have come on,” Mills said. “We've made some changes as a coaching staff, but the girls have been working extremely hard to get better. At midseason, we could have packed it in. I'm proud of the way we've come on as late, but we are not there yet. We have better volleyball ahead of us.”
 
Leading Clarion's offense is 2010 Honorable Mention All-American Kellie Bartman, a senior outside hitter who was also the Atlantic Region Player of the Year, PSAC West Athlete of the Year and PSAC Tournament MVP last season.
 
This year, Bartman ranks fourth in the PSAC and leads the team in kills per set with 3.62 while adding 2.29 digs per set and 48 blocks. She is second in school history with 1,458 career kills and 19^th at Clarion with 881 career digs.
 
Joining Bartman at outside hitter are senior Kaitlyn Anderson and sophomores Hannah Heeter and Aubree Frye. Anderson is second on the team with 2.52 kills per set while adding a team-leading 49 service aces, while Heeter is third on the squad with 2.12 kills per set and second with 65 blocks. Frye adds 1.03 kps and 1.73 dps.
 
In the middle on offense, the Golden Eagles look to junior Rebecca Webb (1.70 kps; team-high .292 hitting percentage; team-leading 69 blocks) and sophomore Corinne Manley (1.74 kps; 50 blocks). Webb ranks seventh in the PSAC in hitting percentage.
 
Setting up the offense is senior setter Amanda Gough, who ranks third in the PSAC at 9.49 set assists per set while adding 2.51 digs per set. She ranks second in school history with 4,083 career set assists and 13^th with 1,083 career digs.
 
Defensively the Golden Eagles are paced by the school's all-time leader in digs senior Rhianon Brady, who leads the PSAC and is sixth in the nation in digs per set (5.95). She has 2,609 career digs and ranks first (798 in 2010), second (729 in 2009) and sixth (595 in 2011) in single-season digs at Clarion. Brady is the first player in school history to earn All-Region honors in each of her first three seasons.
 
Joining Brady is senior defensive specialist Kayla Rodak (1.34 dps).
 
Leading the way for Edinboro are Gina Boothe (3.39 kps, .254 hitting percentage), Seth Sullivan (2.52 kps, 3.03 dps), Kelcie Hellmer (2.34 kps, 0.74 bps), Brittany Centrobi (7.72 set assists per set; 1.42 dps) and Brittany Flynn (4.24 dps).
 
The winner of Tuesday's match will face the winner of the Shippensburg at Lock Haven match Friday at the highest remaining seed from the PSAC East which will be Lock Haven if Lock Haven beats Shippensburg or the winner of the West Chester at Kutztown if Shippensburg tops Lock Haven. The PSAC Championship game will then be Saturday at the site of the semifinals.
 
NOTES – Clarion hosted the PSAC semifinals and finals last season … Edinboro won the three-way tiebreaker over Clarion and Gannon based on the number of sets it won between the two teams during mandated conference play. The Fighting Scots went 9-9 in sets played vs. Clarion and Gannon, Clarion was 8-7 and Gannon 7-8. The tiebreaker is the total number of sets won not the winning percentage in the sets … Clarion has won two PSAC titles (2010 and 1988) and has been to four PSAC Title games losing to Edinboro in 1987 and to California in 2007 … This is Clarion's 11^th trip to the PSAC Tournament with the Golden Eagles sporting an 11-10 record in PSAC Tournament play. The Golden Eagles are 4-0 at home, 4-4 on the road and 3-6 at neutral sites in PSAC Tournament play. Clarion's last road PSAC Playoff game was in 2009 when it lost 3-0 at Lock Haven … Clarion and Edinboro are meeting for the 13^th time in postseason (PSAC; PSAC West and NCAA Tournament) play with the Fighting Scots holding a 7-5 advantage in those matches.