SAN ANTONIO - No. 2 Trinity University Volleyball team won its 20th overall Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship and its 13th conference tournament title by defeating Southwestern University 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers (31-2) defeated the Pirates for the third time this season, winning 3-2 on the road, and taking two home matches by final margins of 3-1.

Trinity has made the conference final in 10 of the last 11 seasons and this is the first SCAC Championship since 2019.

Senior rightside hitter Sarah Williammee (Denver, Colo. / East) was named the SCAC Tournament MVP for her weekend performance, which was capped by her match-high 12 kills and a .462 hitting percentage in today's championship.

Joining Williammee on the All-Tournament team were senior outside hitter Avery Tuggle (Cedar Creek, Texas / Cedar Creek) and junior setter Marisa Amarino (Calabasas, Calif. / Notre Dame Prep). Tuggle notched a team-high 20 digs to go with eight kills and four blocks, while Amarino led the way with 26 assists and eight digs.

Senior middle blocker Emily Ellis (Georgetown, Texas / Georgetown) also had a strong game at the net with six blocks to go with her seven kills in the match. Senior rightside hitter Sara Flynn (Seattle, Wash. / Roosevelt) also finished with seven kills and added three blocks.

Senior outside hitter Annie Rose Leggett (Austin, Texas / Westwood) registered 16 digs as one of three players in double figures, joining Ellis and Flynn with seven kills. Senior middle blocker Emma Funk (Pass Christian, Miss. / Our Lady) was second on the team with nine kills and posted a match-leading .500 hitting percentage on her 14 swings.

The Rundown

After allowing the opening point to Southwestern, Trinity scored seven of the next eight to take control of the opening set. Southwestern battled back to within four after a timeout, but the Tigers answered with an 8-2 run to push the lead to double digits (17-7) and force another timeout. The lead dropped to eight after the timeout but was quickly back to double digits. The Tigers finished with a flurry of four straight to close out the set win.

Leggett picked up her 241st career service ace early in the second set and is now just eight from tying the all-time record. That ace came as part of a 6-1 run to start the set, also fueled by three combined kills from Williammee and Funk. The two teams traded the next several points and eventually a Southwestern timeout stopped the action at 13-7 in favor of the Tigers. The stoppage didn't slow Trinity, though, as Kern finished off a 5-2 run with back-to-back aces that forced another quick timeout at 18-9. Trinity pushed the lead all the way to 12 before Southwestern rallied with four unanswered points that led to a Tiger timeout at 22-14. The home team finished the second set off with three kills in the next four points to take the win and a 2-0 lead.

The third set started off even as the score was tied 5-5 early, but Southwestern scored five of the next six to take a four-point edge. The lead rose as high as six before Trinity fought to a 16-14 deficit that forced a Southwestern timeout. Three straight points by the Pirates forced Trinity's second timeout of the set, but Southwestern was able to trade points down the stretch and extend the match.

Southwestern carried its momentum into the fourth set, but Trinity kept pace in the early going. The Tigers scored four of five points to seemingly take control and force a Southwestern timeout at 15-10. The Pirates answered with five straight points to tie the game, then pulled out to a 19-17 advantage that forced Trinity's final timeout. The Tigers emerged from the break with four straight scores of their own to lead 21-19. Southwestern pulled to within one at 21-22, but Trinity forced another timeout with two quick scores that set up match point. Southwestern scored twice to cut it to a one-point margin once again, but Williammee finished things off with a kill to lift Trinity to the title.

Up Next

With the SCAC Championship, Trinity receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs. The Tigers will await tomorrow's NCAA Selection Show to find out where they will play next and who will join them in the bracket.