BOX SCORE (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Samford University volleyball team captured its second Southern Conference Tournament championship in the last three years with a 3-1 (28-26, 20-25, 25-21, 26-24) win over top-seeded ETSU Sunday afternoon at Fleming Gymnasium.
 
The title is Samford's fourth since joining the SoCon, having previously won championships in 2011, 2014 and 2016. With the win, Samford (19-14) earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The tournament field will be announced next Sunday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU.
 
Samford won the tournament in dominant fashion, beginning with a 3-1 win over Chattanooga in Friday's quarterfinals, a 3-0 victory over Furman in Saturday's semifinals, and ending with Sunday's 3-1 victory over the regular-season champion ETSU.
 
KEY MOMENTS

• In the first set, ETSU jumped out to an early 6-4 lead, but Samford answered with an 8-3 run to take 12-9 advantage.
• ETSU, however, scored the next five-straight points to take a 14-12 lead, forcing a Samford timeout.
• Out of the timeout, Samford fought back to knot the score at 15-15.
• The teams traded the next several points, until Samford was able to grab a 20-17 lead.
• The Bucs fought back to take a 26-25 lead, but Samford scored the next three points to come away with the 28-26 set win.
• The Bucs raced out to a 13-9 lead in the second set.
• Samford fought back to cut the lead to 13-12, but ETSU answered with a 5-0 run to take an 18-12 lead.
• Samford came back to cut the lead to two points at 20-18.
• ETSU was able to hold on to take the second set, 25-20 and tie the match at one set apiece.
• In the third set, after ETSU grabbed an early lead, Samford came back to take a 12-10 advantage.
• The teams traded points for a while, with Samford maintaining its lead.
• The Bulldogs built a five-point lead at 24-19, and Samford took the set by a score of 25-21.
• In the fourth set, Samford jumped out to a 10-6 lead.
• ETSU fought back to take an 18-15 lead.
• With the Bucs leading, 20-18, Samford came back to take a 24-23 lead.
• With the score tied at 24-24, Samford scored the next two points, with the final coming on a kill by Krista Boesing to take the set, 26-24, and the match, 3-1.

 
FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Lauren Deaton led Samford with 17 kills and 16 digs.
• Boesing also had 17 kills for the Bulldogs.
• Kelsi Hobbs had 11 kills and 12 digs in the win.
• Shayla Phillip also had 11 kills for Samford.
• Grace Tiesman had 23 digs.
• Taylor Anderton had 51 assists and 12 digs.