GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Westminster volleyball team finished their extraordinary season at the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Titans lost, 3-0, to Otterbein in the First Round.
In the first set down, 15-22, Westminster found its footing as it scored five of the next seven points. Otterbein (24-5) halted the comeback off a kill from Amber Greeley, winning 25-20. During the second set, the Cardinals rode a 14-9 lead to a 25-11 set victory. In the third frame, the Titans were able to jump out to an early 6-2 lead which eventually grew to 18-13. The Cardinals, however, went on a 7-0 run to lead 20-18 and had match-point at 24-20. The Titans continued to battle scoring three-straight points, before Otterbein won 25-23.
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Senior
Maya Steward (Los Angeles, CA / William Howard Taft) led the Titans on offense with eight kills. Junior
Kaylee Sciubba (Tarentum, PA / Deer Lakes) and senior
Becky Adelman (Randolph, OH / Waterloo) followed with seven and six kills, respectively. Senior
Samantha Kelly (Irwin, PA / Penn-Trafford) dished out a team-high 23 assists, to go along with her team-best two aces. Sophomore
Saylee Grinnen (Wampum, PA / Lincoln) showed a dominant force at the net with a match-high three blocks. Sophomore
Malia Duffy (Allison Park, PA / North Allegheny) led Westminster's defense with 15 digs, followed closely behind by Steward with 12.
The national appearance was Westminster's fifth overall in program history, all under veteran Head Coach
Tammy Swearingen. The Titans qualified for the 2019, 2008, and 2007 NCAA Tournament and the 1997 NAIA Tournament.
The Titans finished with an overall record of 28-5 and a perfect conference record of 18-0. Westminster won its program-record three consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships.
