The No. 1 seeded Southwestern University Pirates defeated second seeded Colorado College 3-1 on Saturday evening - earning the Pirates their fourth Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship and first since a co-championship with Trinity University in 2005.
Southwestern won by scores of 25-23, 19-25, 25-15 and 25-23. Southwestern advanced to the championship by beating rival and defending SCAC champion Trinity in the semifinals, by the same 3-1 margin.
By winning the SCAC championship, the Pirates earn the conference's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. Southwestern, ranked 12th in the nation and winner of 31 consecutive matches, will learn of its national tournament destination on Monday when the brackets are released.
Colorado College, ranked 13th in the nation, advanced to its first SCAC championship by beating third seeded and 24th in the nation DePauw University. The Colorado Tigers won a thriller, topping the Indiana Tigers in five sets, 3-2.
After the match SCAC Director of Communications Russell Kramer caught up with Colorado College head coach Rick Swan and Southwestern head coach Hannah Long. Kramer also talked with Southwestern seniors Audra Gentry and Sam Lingamfelter.
To listen to coach Swan, click here.
To listen to Gentry, click here.
To listen to Lingamfelter, click here.
To listen to coach Long, click here.
