Volleyball Ends Run in NCAA Regional Quarterfinal

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.) – The Carnegie Mellon women's volleyball team opened the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship at Calvin College against 9th-ranked University of Mount Union Purple Raiders on Thursday, November 14.  The Tartans, making their second appearance at the NCAA Championship tournament under ninth year head coach Kim Kelly and the third in program history, dropped a hard fought 3-0 match by the scores of 25-20, 25-23, 25-21.

"I think a little bit of nerves got to us, but overall I am very proud of them and what they have done," said Kelly.  "We knew we had a tough draw and they stepped up to the challenge."
    
Senior Senna Parsa (Bellevue, Wash./Newport) led the Tartans with 13 kills while fellow senior Mary Stadelman (Washington, Pa../Trinity) and junior Ali Celentano (Mission Viejo, Calif./JSerra Catholic) each contributed with seven.  Sophomore Emily Lawlis (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands College Park) and freshman Emily Newton (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Chadwick School) tallied 13 assists apiece

Defensively, senior Ali Nichols (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) ended with 14 digs and Parsa and Celentano each had seven.  At the net, freshman Casey Salandra (Carol Steam, Ill./St. Francis) led the way with three block assists while Newton totaled two.

"This year has been greater than any we have had," said Stadelman. "It has been great for all four years, but this year we really came together as a team."

The Tartans conclude the season with an overall mark of 25-10, the most wins under Kelly.