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The Emory University volleyball team’s bid for a second national crown in three years came up short Monday afternoon as it dropped a 3-1 decision to Calvin College in the title match of the NCAA Division III Championships in Saint Louis.  The Knights of Calvin earned their first-ever national championship and raised their record to 32-4 following a 25-14, 25-20, 19-25, 25-23 win over Emory who ended its season with a record of 36-5.

Calvin finished with an advantage in hitting, posting a mark of 30.0 percent (52-13—130) compared to Emory’s 18.4 percent (49-23—141).  Both teams recorded 57 digs while the Knights held an 8-3 edge in total blocks.

Emory sophomore Breanah Bourque (Houston, TX) led all players with 16 kills and registered a fine 33.3 hitting percentage (16-5—33).  Rounding out the team’s double-figure terminators were senior Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) with 13 and junior Jessica McAlvany (Roswell, GA) with 11.  McCall ended the season with 481 kills to her credit, good for sixth place on the school’s seasonal ladder.  McCall, who was named the Division III National Player of the Year last week, also registered 12 digs against Calvin, her 20^th double-double of the year.  Tying for the team’s lead in digs were senior Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) and freshman Molly Landers (Kentfield, CA) with 13 apiece.

Junior Erin Vander Plas of Calvin led the Knights with 13 kills while classmate Renee DeHaan added 12 successful put-aways.  Rebecca Kamp rounded out that team’s trio of double-figure attackers with 11 and added four block assists.

Calvin got out the gates quickly in the first set, hitting a blazing 60.9 percent (14-0—23) in taking the 1-0 lead in the match.  The Knights trailed just once in that game and used a key 7-1 run, with Vander Plas chipping in two kills, that stretched a 12-10 lead into a 19-11 cushion.  Junior Kelly Peterson closed out the set with an ace, Calvin’s third of the game.

After hitting just 11.5 percent in the first set, Emory regrouped in the second game as it looked to tie the match. The Eagles trailed by a 12-9 margin before a kill by McCall capped a 6-4 Emory run that drew it to within 16-15.  The Knights picked up five of the set’s next seven points, three the result of Emory miscues, to claim a 21-17 lead.  The closest Emory could get from that stage was three points as a kill by Lizzie Kamp put the No. 10-ranked Calvin team one set away from the title.

Emory played its best game of the match in the third set with its defense rising to the occasion to limit Calvin to just a .040 attack percentage.  A kill by McAlvany, a service ace from Landers, followed by a Knights’ attack error, gave the Eagles a 10-6 lead. Emory still enjoyed a four-point advantage, 18-14, before a kill by Bourque, followed by back-to-back terminations by junior Ali Wright (Matteson, IL), gave Emory a decisive 21-14 lead.  Calvin crept back to 22-18 but Emory held off the late charge and sealed the set when senior Ana Ramirez (Los Angeles, CA) came through with an ace, forcing a fourth set.

A kill by McCall gave Emory a 12-9 lead in the fourth set and the Eagles still held a 14-12 edge after Wright came up with a successful put-away. But three straight points by Calvin, two coming on kills from DeHaan, to take a 15-14 lead.  A McAlvany kill knotted things at 15-15, but back-to-back points by Lizzie Kamp put Calvin up for good.  Facing a 21-18 obstacle, Emory mounted one last charge registering three of the set’s next four points to battle to within 22-21.  After swapping points, the Eagles tied the game at 23-23 following a ball handling error by Calvin.  However, consecutive kills by National Freshman of the Year Megan Rietema, finished out the match.

Bourque, along with Schonefeld, were Emory representatives on the NCAA Championships All-Tournament Team.

Emory, which ended the regular season, ranked No. 1 nationally among Division III squads, did set a school record for most wins with its 36 triumphs this season.