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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Junior Jackie Oliva (Barnesville, Pa./Mahanoy Area) notched 16 kills and hit .583 to lead the Lycoming College volleyball team to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-22) win over Albright College on Tuesday night, Oct. 25, clinching a spot in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs for the first time since joining the league in 2007.
 
The Warriors (14-16 overall, 4-3 Commonwealth) had a solid team effort, slamming down 43 kills and hitting .242 while also posting a season-high 12 service aces to clinch the No. 4 seed in next week’s conference playoffs. The Warriors will face Messiah in the first round, as the Falcons (19-5 overall, 6-0 Commonwealth) on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
 
Sophomore Katelyn McKillop (Mount Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) notched 37 assists and a  career-high seven aces to go with four digs and freshman Amber Seibel (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) posted a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Shelby Gear (Rochester, N.Y./Gates-Chili) added nine kills and sophomore Lacey Sollenberger (New Enterprize, Pa./North Bedford) added six kills.  Sophomore Kassidy Sedore (Stormville, N.Y./Spackenkill) notched a match-high 14 digs and added two aces.
 
In the first set, Lycoming took a 4-0 lead thanks to two kills from Oliva and never trailed in the set, although Albright stayed within four points until a kill from Oliva and a Lion attack error made it 23-17. The Warriors held off a late rally to take the set, as Sollenberger closed out the set with a kill.
 
Lycoming fell behind 14-9 in the second set, but began to roll, posting a 16-2 run to take the set, as McKillop capped the set by serving for a remarkable 10 straight points. McKillop posted five aces during the run and Sollenberger and Gear each had two kills.
 
The Warriors closed out the win by coming back from a 13-9 deficit in the third set, using a 7-3 run to tie the set at 16. With the score tied at 19, kills from Oliva and Gear put the Warriors in control, as they took a 24-20 lead en route to the 25-22 lead that was closed out on a kill by Gear.
 
Christa Martz led the Lions (8-19 overall, 2-5 Commonwealth) with seven kills and five digs and Morgan Heath added 19 assists and six digs. Casey McFadden posted nine digs and Alyssa Hoogendoorn, Alexa Jones and Brandy Blimline each added four kills and two blocks.
 
Lycoming wrap up their 2011 regular season by heading to the New York Regional Tournament at the University of Rochester this weekend, beginning with a 6 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 28, against Nazareth. The Warriors also face RIT on Friday at 8 p.m.