TIFFIN, Ohio – The Tiffin University volleyball team punched its ticket into the 15
th edition of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Volleyball Championship which begins on Tuesday, November 10 with four quarterfinals matchups hosted by the higher seeds. Tiffin will take on the North Division Champions, the University of Findlay who earned the No. 2 seed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Niekamp Arena.
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SCOUTING NO. 2 FINDLAY (18-8, 13-2 G-MAC): The Oilers enter the postseason winners of eight in a row and clinched the G-MAC North Division title. Leading the Oilers' attack is senior Hannah Miller. The Tiffin, Ohio native has been a challenge for opposing defenses all season, leading the conference in both total kills and kills per set. Miller has recorded 405 kills, averaging 4.18 per set.
The Oilers have also been dangerous from the service line, ranking second in the conference with 191 service aces this season. Miller and Victoria Mescher lead the team with 36 aces apiece, tying for seventh in the G-MAC.
Senior Zoya Winkelfoos has directed the Findlay offense, totaling 700 assists while averaging 7.14 per set. Defensively, freshman Claire Schoenberger has stepped into the libero role and made an immediate impact. Through the team's 98 sets this season, Schoenberger has appeared in 97, recording 267 digs for an average of 2.75 per set.
SCOUTING NO. 7 TIFFIN (7-20, 7-8 G-MAC): The seventh-seeded Tiffin Dragons enter the G-MAC Tournament quarterfinals looking to pull off an upset against two-seeded Findlay after finishing the regular season 7-20 overall and 7-8 in conference play. Despite the overall record, Tiffin closed conference play by winning five of its final nine G-MAC matches and pushed several league contenders deep into matches down the stretch.
The Dragons are led offensively by middle hitter
Katelyn Owens, who has been one of the conference's most efficient attackers. Owens leads Tiffin with 250 kills and a .403 hitting percentage while also pacing the team with 81 total blocks. She enjoyed success against Findlay during the regular season, totaling 20 kills and hitting .359 across the two meetings. Owens leads the conference in hitting percentage and is ranked 38th within NCAA Division II.
Outside hitters
Parker Vackert,
Amber Czerniak, and
Symari Scott provide additional firepower. Vackert ranks second on the team with 240 kills, while Czerniak has added 197 kills and Scott has contributed 158. The trio combined for 42 kills in Tiffin's most competitive match against the Oilers, a four-set contest in Findlay on Sept. 26.
Tiffin's offense is directed by setters
Maggie Pavlansky and
Kat Akolzin, who have combined for more than 900 assists this season. Defensively, libero
Morgan Morley anchors the back row with a team-best 413 digs, averaging 4.35 digs per set.
The Dragons will look to build off their second meeting with Findlay, where they forced four sets and totaled 50 kills while recording 10 team blocks. Owens and Vackert each registered 15 kills.
In the two regular-season meetings, Findlay earned victories in straight sets on Sept. 12 and in four sets on Sept. 26, but Tiffin showed significant improvement between the contests.
With a victory, Findlay/Tiffin will advance to the semifinal round where they would matchup against the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 3 seeded Cedarville and No. 6 Walsh.
