Annville, PA – The Messiah women's volleyball team overpowered Lebanon Valley College in a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-18, 25-15). Braedyn Gallagher led the team with 13 kills and a .400 attack percentage while Jane Underman added nine kills in the win. Emily Zellers recorded 12 digs and Brooke Gallagher also had 12 digs and dished out 30 assists. Messiah played strong defensively finishing with 47 total digs on the night and five team blocks.
 
This win moves the Falcons to 24-6 overall and 7-1 in the conference but more importantly tonight's victory earned Messiah the No. 2 seed heading into the MAC Commonwealth Championship Tournament next week. They will host the Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley next Wednesday, Nov. 2 at home in Brubaker Auditorium.

Messiah played well in the first set tallying more kills (13-10), finished with a higher attack percentage (.357-.025), and committed less errors (3-9) than Lebanon Valley.
 
After the Dutchmen tallied the first two points of the set, the Falcons scored four-straight off a kill by Braedyn Gallagher and three Dutchmen errors to take the lead 4-2. Not long after with the scored tied at six another kill by Braedyn Gallagher and error by Lebanon Valley gave Messiah the slight edge 8-6.
 
Points were traded back-and-forth but the Falcons never lost the lead to the Dutchmen and a pivotal scoring run came midway through the set. The score was tied at 13 and Messiah tallied five unanswered points to pull away from Lebanon Valley. Jane Underman, Braedyn Gallagher, and Kristen Douglas each hammered down kills in the run.
 
Lebanon Valley responded with two kills to cut the lead 18-15 but a kill by Brooke Gallagher and error by the Dutchmen again gave Messiah a five-point advantage. With the score 20-16 the Falcons utilized two kills and two errors by the Dutchmen to increase their lead 24-16.
 
The Dutchmen tallied a point but on the next play Jane Underman crushed down a final kill to give the Falcons the set one win 25-17.
 
Messiah kept the momentum from the first set going into the second one finishing with 14 kills and a .243 attack percentage.
 
Lebanon Valley held an early 6-4 lead but it didn't take long for Messiah to take control. They tallied six consecutive points off three kills by Taylor Hook, one from Jane Underman, a service ace by Danielle Weaver, and Lebanon Valley error to lead 10-6.
 
The Dutchmen stifled the Falcons scoring run with five-straight points of their own to regain the lead 11-10. Later with the Falcons trailing 16-15, kills by Mary Underman and Kristen Douglas, and three service aces in a row by Emily Zellers gave Messiah the lead 20-16. That scoring run proved to be the difference maker in the second set as the Falcons never gave up control the rest of the way.
 
With the score 22-18 in favor of Messiah an attack error by Lebanon Valley and two kills in a row from Jane Underman earned the Messiah the set two victory 25-18.
 
In the third and final set of play the Falcons finished with 11 kills, a .308 attack percentage, and committed just three errors en route to a 25-15 win and match sweep 3-0.
 
Messiah jumped to an early 4-1 lead off kills from Mary Underman, Braedyn Gallagher, and two errors by Lebanon Valley. With the Falcons leading 7-6 they recorded three-straight points of two Dutchmen errors and a Braedyn Gallagher kill to extend the lead 10-6.
 
The Falcons held steady and maintained a comfortable lead, with the score 15-10 they scored three unanswered points to push the lead 18-10. Braedyn Gallagher contributed two kills and Emily Buckwalter recorded a service ace in the run.
 
Leading 20-14, Messiah benefited from three Lebanon Valley errors and a service ace to pull within one point of set and match victory 24-14. The Dutchmen tallied a point but on the next play committed a service error giving the Falcons the win.
 
Overall Messiah finished with 38 kills, seven service aces, and 47 digs in the match this evening.
 
As aforementioned the win gives Messiah the No. 2 seed in next week's conference tournament and first round bye, but before the semifinal match next Wednesday they travel to Marymount University for a tri-match this weekend to finish up the regular season. They play Christopher Newport University at 3:00 p.m. and finish with a match against the host Saints at 5:00 p.m. in Arlington, Va.