Gulls down ECSU and Bowdoin to win Invitational

Sept. 6, 2008

Stats

BEVERLY, Mass. - The Endicott College women's volleyball team defeated Eastern Connecticut State University, 3-0, and Bowdoin College, 3-1, to capture the 2008 Endicott Invitational Tournament Championship on Saturday afternoon in Beverly, Mass. The Gulls are now 5-1 overall on the season.

Endicott advanced to the invitational final with an easy, 3-0, win over Eastern Connecticut in the Gulls' first match of the day. Endicott got nine kills from Steph Wiese (Higganum, Conn.) in the win. Hayley Janelle (Madbury, N.H.) had a well-rounded contest against the Warriors, notching seven kills, four aces and four blocks. Beth Dow (Pocasset, Mass.) had six kills while classmate Casey Ward (Monroe, Conn.) handed out 17 assists.

The championship match came to be after Bowdoin made short work of Salve Regina, 3-0, posting set scores of 25-14, 25-19, and 25-17 over the Seagulls. In the finals, it was Endicott's Steph Wiese that helped lead the Gulls to victory. Wiese earned Tournament MVP honors as she capped off her stellar weekend with eight kills and three aces. Senior Hayley Janelle was named to the All-Tournament Team as she had a monster match upfront, notching 11 kills and five blocks against the Polar Bears. Brittany Phillips (Sudbury, Mass.) had 10 kills while freshman Elyse Barbour (Greenville, R.I.) had six blocks in the win.

Bowdoin was paced by All-Tournament Team member Kristin Hanczor's (Redding, Conn.) 14 kills. Teammate Jenna Diggs (La Jolla, Calif.), also an All-Tournament recipient, had 32 assists and 16 digs in the losing effort. Stephanie Drumright (San Francisco, Calif.) notched two blocks in the finals.

Eastern Connecticut earned third-place honors as the Warriors edged Salve Regina University, 3-1, in the runners up match. East Conn. freshman Kristianna Ibsen (Shelton, Conn.) had 13 kills while Sandra Jaques (Milford, Conn.) posted 11 kills and 20 digs in the win. Jen Braswell (Wilton, Conn.) notched 33 assists while Taylor Abelli (Cheshire, Conn.) had a team-high 21 digs.

Fifth-place honors went to Keene State, followed by sixth-place finisher Emmanuel. New Jersey City University and Bridgewater State rounded out the field at 7th and 8th, respectfully.

To view the complete results of the 2008 Endicott Invitational Tournament, please click here.