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California State University of San Bernardino Athletics

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Camille Smith diving in CSP match
Robert Whitehead

Volleyball CSUSB Media Relations

Coyotes season ends as NCAA runner-up

Concordia-St. Paul earns record-setting 5th consecutive NCAA title in in 3-0 match

Junior All-American Camille Smith works a dig in the NCAA title match against Concordia-St. Paul.
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SAN BERNARDINO
-- Top-ranked Cal State San Bernardino's storybook season came to an end Saturday night as Concordia-St. Paul earned its record-setting fifth NCAA Division II title with a 3-0 win in the NCAA title match before a CSUSB volleyball-record crowd of 2,879.

The loss ended the nation's longest home winning streak at 66 consecutive matches as the Coyotes closed the season with its best record in school history at 32-1 in the 25-20, 31-29, 25-18 loss.

"There really are two mindsets with tonight,'' said Coyotes coach Kim Cherniss. "One, I'm happy for Concordia-St. Paul. For them to win five consecutive NCAA titles and making history, it's a credit to Brady (Starkey) and his team. And two, it's heartbreaking for the kids.''

Down 1-0 after an opening-set 25-20 loss, the Coyotes grabbed control in the second set and forged ahead with an 18-13 lead on a kill from sophomore Danielle Newcombe.

But an 11-3 run by the Golden Bears put them up 24-21 and at set point on a kill from Ashley Murtha.

A kill from senior Priscilla Collings led to a block from senior Megan Johnson and Camille Smith and an attack error from CSP tied the set at 24-24.

Each team then had set point on three different occasions, but CSP grabbed the win on a block from Katie Habeck and a kill form Kayla Koenecke gave the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead.

"From a defensive standpoint, they're good,'' Cherniss said. "But it's their offense that's so good.''

The Coyotes' middle blockers, National Player of the Year Samantha Middleborn and fellow senior Megan Johnson were shut down at the net. Middleborn was held to .120 attack percentage on eight kills and Johnson had five kills.

On the block, Middleborn finished with three solo blocks and five assists.

"It's not the first time I've seen them celebrate,'' said Middleborn, whose team finished its season with a loss against the Golden Bears for the fourth straight year. "We've done the losing thing. It hurts.''

Newcombe and Morgan Carty led the Coyotes with nine kills each. Senior libero Kelcie Tolan had 14 digs and Smith had 10.

The Coyotes graduate seven seniors -- Middleborn, Johnson, Carty, Collings, Kelcie Tolan, Kate Barton and Krista Hasemeyer.

The Coyotes had four players on the All-Tournament team: Collings, Johnson, Smith and Middleborn. CSP had Megan Carlson, Kate Habeck, Kayla Koenecke, Amanda Konetchy and Ashley Murtha. The others were: Clara Leutheuser and Lauren Grover of Hillsdale and Julie Howlett of Tampa.




 

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