GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Samford University volleyball team set out to accomplish the goal it set from the very beginning of the season. 120 days ago the Bulldogs vowed to give everything they had from the very first point scored on Sept. 29, against Georgia State University.

To make it to that 120 day mark, the NCAA tournament, Samford had to win the 2014 SoCon Championship and No. 1 Furman University stood in its path.

"We talked about it as a team that our biggest obstacle would be ourselves." Head coach Dex Schroeder said. "I knew that we would have to do our best every time we had an opportunity. The girls got behind that and stayed committed even during our slump late in the season. That belief is what helped get us through those tough matches in this tournament."

Samford had a 2-1 advantage in the match but faced an 12-18 deficit to the Paladins and the possibility of a fifth set loomed close. Seniors Chelsi Carter and Michaela Reesor denied that possibility, put the team on their backs and willed the Bulldogs to a 28-26 victory in the set which also closed out the match 3-1.

The Bulldogs faced a Paladin set point at 22-24 with Carter, the SoCon Tournament MOP, up to serve. One of the nation's best servers had the opportunity to keep the set alive.

"I just kept telling myself to be the hero, be the hero of this game, be the person they talk about five years from now." Carter said.

Carter served Samford to a 24-24 tie and eventual 25-24 lead with sophomore Erin Bognar posting three of her 20 kills during that stretch

The herculean effort by Carter wasn't all about her serving as much as it was her defensive presence. She totaled 21 digs in the match and foiled the Paladins offensive efforts with diving one handed digs and being the perfect spot on numerous occasions.

Reesor matched her teammate's effort and posted 10 of her 20 kills in the fourth set alone. The Caledon, Ontario, Canada native needed only 11 coming into the match to become Samford's all-time career kill leader and she eclipsed that margin in grand fashion as she tied the record when she put the third set away 25-20 and passed it in the fourth to secure the championship.

"We definitely saw the opportunity in the beginning of the fourth set to seize the title and not let it go to a fifth set." Reesor said. "We took an aggressive mentality that no matter what we were going to swing for the fences. We just couldn't let up at all."

Samford didn't let up and continued to put pressure on Furman until the team secured its second SoCon title in four years.
  
The Bulldogs opened the match a little on edge and allowed the Paladins to race out to a 6-1 lead in the first set. Samford settled in and fought its way back into the set and tied it 7-7 after a 6-1 run sparked by Carter's back-to-back aces.

The momentum switched back into Furman's favor after a series of offensive mishaps to give the Paladins a 16-10 lead which the Bulldogs were unable to recover from; the set ended 20-25 to FU a 1-0 lead in the match.

The offensive machine cranked into gear in the second set as Samford launched an assault that resulted in an 8-3 start in favor of the Bulldogs. SU's determination never wavered and they took the set 25-22.

SU having only won twice previously in the season after it has dropped the first set carried the momentum gained in the second over to the third. From there Reesor and Bognar continued to blast ball after ball at the Furman defense until the Paladins conceded it 25-20.

No championship is won without a total team effort and Samford had contributions from everyone. Reesor and Bognar paced the offense with 20 kills each with 11 and 12 digs respectively for the double-doubles.

Carter led the defense with 21 digs while sophomore setter Erika Pifer dished out 52 assists.

The middle blockers junior Emily Meitz and redshirt freshman T.J. Russell notched nine and eight kills each.

Samford now waits for the NCAA Volleyball Selection Show to find out where the team will travel and who it will play next. The show is scheduled to air on ESPNU on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. CST
 
SoCon All-Tournament Team
Tournament MOP – Chelsi Carter – Samford
All-Tournament – Michaela Reesor – Samford
All-Tournament – Erin Bognar – Samford
All-Tournament – Andrea Fisher – Furman
All-Tournament – Ashton Gregory – Furman
All-Tournament – Caitlin Piechota – Western Carolina
All-Tournament – Kelsey Sidney - UNCG