Zaniboni Leads Lions to 2009 GNAC Women's Volleyball Title

BOSTON, Mass. - top seeded Emerson College (30-6) followed the lead of tournament MVP Lauren Zaniboni (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) and defeated second seed Johnson & Wales University (23-15) 3-1 in the championship match of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Tournament at Emerson's Brown-Plofker Gym.

Zaniboni, who earlier in the day was named the Conference's Player of the Year, had 25 kills on 52 attack attempts and added 14 digs and five blocks. The 6'2" middle hitter had a .404 hitting percentage in the match.

Both teams showed nerves in the early going of the first game as a block error and two service errors gave Johnson & Wales a 2-1 lead. Following an exchange of points, the Wildcats took a lead they would not relinquish on an Emerson service error. The lead stretched to 18-9 before Emerson started a methodical comeback. The Lions twice reduced the margin to two points, the last time on a Wildcat service error at 19-21 but three kills gave Johnson & Wales game point and an Emerson attack error gave game one to the Wildcats, 25-20.

Emerson started strongly in game two as services by Katie Bailey (So., Calabasas, Calif.) and Zaniboni gave the Lions an 8-3 lead. Emerson stretched the lead to 16-9 on a kill by Erin Connolly (Sr., Quincy, Mass.). Johnson & Wales scored eight of the next eleven points to pull within 19-17 on a service ace by Abbey Reedy (So., Cincinnati, OH). A kill by Connolly increased the Lions' advantage to three points, but Johnson & Wales refused to give in and rallied to tie the game at 24 on a kill by Catherine Bravo (Jr., Toa Baja, Puerto Rico). A Zaniboni winner followed by an attack error by the Lions kept the score tied, but kills by Jessica Drumright (So., San Francisco, Calif.) and Kelsey Scanlon (FY, Sonoma, Calif.) put away the second game for Emerson by a 27-25 count.

In game three, Emerson again roared out to an early lead running to a 6-0 advantage on Scanlon's serves. A later 5-2 run by Johnson & Wales brought the Wildcats to within two points at 12-10. Bailey served six straight points to open up an 18-10 Lion lead. Johnson & Wales crept back to within four points at 24-20, but a bad Wildcat set gave the Lions the game at 25-20 and a 2-1 lead in the match.

The first half of the deciding set was close as the score at the midway point was 12-11. A 10-3 run by Emerson gave the Lions an insurmountable 22-14 lead, and a block by Zaniboni sealed the game and give Emerson its first GNAC Women's Volleyball title in the history of the program.

In addition to Zaniboni's 25 kills, Connolly added a dozen and Drumrighthad six for Emerson. Bravo (11) and Constantino (10) were in double figures for Johnson & Wales. Bailey had 30 assists for the Lions and the Wildcat's Kasey Higgins (FY, Wallingford, Conn.) had 32. Bravo and Emerson's Sara Rutan (Jr., Santa Clarita, Calif.) tied for the match lead with 17 digs apiece.

In addition to Zaniboni, Emeron's Connolly and Bailey were All-Tournament team selections as were Bravo and Ashley Constantino (Sr., Marlton, N.J.) of Johnson & Wales. Rounding out the team were Rivier's Kenna Finlayson and Jenna Ross of Emmanuel College.

With the victory, Emerson earns the GNAC automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. The Lions will find out on Monday their seed and destination.


All-Tournament Team:
Rivier College - Kenna Finlayson
Emmanuel College - Jenna Ross
Johnson & Wales University - Ashley Constantino
Johnson & Wales University - Catherine Bravo
Emerson College - Katie Bailey
Emerson College - Erin Connolly

Tournament MVP
Emerson College - Lauren Zaniboni

Courtesy: Emerson College Athletic Communications