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2002 PATRIOT LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
at American University's Bender Arena
Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23

Top-seeded American defeats Lehigh 3-1 in final to advance to the NCAA Tournament

Friday

5 p.m. - First Semifinal Match: No. 2 Lehigh University def. No. 3 Bucknell University 3-0 (30-24, 30-27, 30-24) Recap Stats
7 p.m. - Second Semifinal Match: No. 1 American University def. No. 4 Army 3-0 (30-24, 30-21, 30-26) Recap Stats

Saturday

4 p.m. - Championship Match live on Comcast SportsNet No. 1 No. 1 American def. No. 2 Lehigh, 3-1 Recap Stats
(commentating provided by ESPN announcer Chris Marlowe and USA Today columnist Christine Brennan)

Winner earns an automatic bid into the 2002 Division 1 NCAA Tournament

2002 Patriot League Regular Season Standings

2002 Patriot League Championship Preview

Patriot League Champs!
AU Volleyball Savors Second Straight PL Title
Cornaz earns PL Tournament MVP Honors

Sophomore Natacha Cornaz was named PL Tournament MVP.

WASHINGTON — For the second time in two years and fourth in six, the American University volleyball advances to the NCAA Tournament, this time by way of capturing the Patriot League Championship with a 3-1 win over second-seeded Lehigh Saturday afternoon at Bender Arena. Scores of the individual games were 30-26, 30-22, 27-30 and 30-21.

The Eagles, pruning an 18-match winning streak, improves to 26-6 overall after earning the top seed in the Patriot League Championship with a perfect 14-0 record. AU sophomore Natacha Cornaz was named the tournament MVP after accumulating 18 kills on .450 hitting over a two-match span. Cornaz also added eight kills in wins over Army and Lehigh.

Four Eagles reached double-digits in kills including the 2001 and 2002 Patriot League Player of the Year Karla Kucerkova (19), senior Judit Szekelyhidi (11), freshman Cutrina Biddulph (10) and Cornaz with 19. Kucerkova and Szekelyhidi combined for 23 kills. Sophomore Sabrina Vasconcelos played setter the entire four game for American, dishing out 26 assists and chipping in with 14 digs. Junior Natalie Hand was strong with 11 digs while sophomore Courtney Mulford added 24 assists.

American trailed 7-1 at the beginning of the third game and could not find its offensive footing as the Mountain Hawks came on strong, outhitting AU as a team .308 to .237. American fought to come back but never found its rhythm. First-Team All-Patriot Leaguers Rochelle Healea, who led all with 24 kills and 18 digs, and Jeanette Singleton, added 18 kills and eight digs, led the Mountain Hawk attack. Lisa Furusawa had a match-high 48 assists.

American, which defeated No. 4-seeded Army 3-0 Friday night in a semifinal, will host Temple on Saturday, Nov. 30 in a tune-up match at Bender Arena at 7 p.m. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show will be on ESPNEWS on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 9 p.m.

Match Summary
Kills: American 70; Lehigh 64
Blocks: American 11.5; Lehigh 9
Digs: Lehigh 60; American 59
Assists: American 57; Lehigh 57
Service Aces: American 7; Lehigh 3

American University's Bender Arena; Home of the 2002 Pl Champions!

THE SCHOOLS

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
Roster
2002 Results
2002 Statistics
Coaches

ARMY
Roster
2002 Results
2002 Statistics
Coaches

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY
Roster
2002 Results
2002 Statistics
Coaches

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
Roster
2002 Results
2002 Statistics
Coaches

Karla Kucerkova	Cutrina Biddulph	Cathy Fluegeman & Judit Szekelyhidi	Courtney Mulford