ANNVILLE, Penn. - Emerson Women's Volleyball notched a 3-2 thriller win over Marymount (Va.) University in the semifinals of the ECAC Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. They advanced to the finals where, unfortunately, the Lions fell in three straight sets to Swarthmore College in the title game at the Sorrentino Gymnasium at host Lebanon Valley College. 

Emerson wraps up their 2016 campaign with an overall record of 20-12, while Marymount (Va.) ends their season at 25-9 and Swarthmore's win moved them to 25-9. 

In the semifinal match, Emerson took the first set 25-23 before Marymount earned a 25-18 and 25-17 win in the second and third frames. The Lions forced a fifth set with a 25-20 fourth set win and closed the match out with a 16-14 win. 

In the title game, Swarthmore took the first and second set by the score 25-12 before Emerson fell just short in a 25-19 third frame loss.

Senior Jules Augustine and Freshman Bella Edwards were named to the All-Tournament Team for their outstanding performance.

ECAC All-Tournament Team
Swarthmore, Lib.,Sarah Wallace
Emerson, MH, Jules Augustine
Emerson, OH, Bella Edwards
Marymount, MH, Cailyn Thomas
Marymount, OH, Emileigh Rettig
NYU, S, Katie Goyette

SEMIFINAL MATCH: Emerson 3, Marymount (Va.) 2 

Emerson hit a match-high .480 to fend off Marymount to take the 25-23 win in the first set. Marymount held the early lead over Emerson, but allowed the Lions to get themselves back into the match to grab the late 22-21 edge. The score squared up twice before kills from seniors Jules Augustine (Skaneateles, N.Y.) and Amanda Linzmeyer (Huntington Beach, Calif.) closed out the Lions win. 

The Saints gained a comfortable lead over the Lions to begin the second frame, yet it was the Lions who tallied six points to come within one at 17-16. Marymount put themselves back up by six on four straight points at 23-17 as two attack errors committed by the Lions sealed the second set and evened the match at 1-all.

Like the second set, Marymount held a comfortable lead over Emerson to start off the third. The Saints then pushed the lead to nine at 19-10 after a string of five straight points. Marymount capped off the 25-17 win with a kill by Cailyn Thomas and an ace from Mallory Mitchell to take the 2-1 lead. 

Emerson was determined to not let the match slip away from them and evened the match 2-all with a 25-20 win in the fourth set. The lead went back and forth between the teams until Marymount pulled ahead 16-15. After giving up the lead, Emerson dished out six straight points to go ahead by five at 21-16. The Saints earned four points back to put them within four at 24-20, but freshman Bella Edwards (Palisades, Calif.) tallied the match point with a kill and forced a fifth set. 

The Lions began the fifth frame with an 8-7 lead, but a pair of swings from both Margaret McAlpin and Thomas put the Saints on top, 11-10. A kill by Emileigh Rettig evened the set at 14-all for Marymount, but the Saints committed a ball handling error that allowed the Lions the take the match, 3-2. 

Sophomore Moira Brennan (Glenview, Ill.) recorded a match-high 41 assists, while Augustine had a match-high 15 kills. Freshman Lily Marella (Portland, Ore.) led the Lions defense with four blocks as freshman Kayleen Bertrand (New Boston, N.H.) had four aces and sophomore Fara Cohen (Morristown, N.J.) registered 13 digs. 

McAlpin and Thomas led the Saints with 14 kills each, while Caroline Hanson had 33 assists and Ashton Walker registered four aces. Theresa Buscemi had a team-high 13 digs and McAlpin also led the defense with five blocks. 

TITLE MATCH: Swarthmore 3, Emerson 0 

After Swarthmore gained the eight point lead at 10-2 to start off the first frame, the Garnets pushed their lead to ten at 18-8. Emerson scattered four more points throughout the end of the set, but it was Swarthmore who notched the final five points to take set one. 

Emerson had a short lived lead before Swarthmore powered out four points to grab the 7-4 edge in the second set. The Lions remained close with the Garnets and kept within four, but the Garnet offense could not be slowed down. Down by double digits at 21-11, Emerson could not find a rhythm and watched Swarthmore take the 25-12 win and two set advantage. 

The Lions put up a fight in the third set and saw the offense spark some life. Emerson grabbed the 10-9 lead for the first and only time on a Swarthmore attack error as the Garnets offense began to surge once again. Swarthmore put up seven more points on the board to give themselves a 20-13 cushion. However, Emerson creeped back within three at 24-19, but their comeback fell short as a ball handling error wrapped up the 25-19 loss. 

Edwards led the Emerson offense with 10 kills and Cohen registered nine digs. Brenna recorded 21 assists, while Linzmeyer and Cohen each had one ace apiece. Four Lions notched one block each. 

Olivia Leventhal paced the Swarthmore offense with nine kills as Sarah Giard recorded 11 digs. Malia Scott had 20 helpers, while Emma Morgan-Bennett led the Garnet defense with five blocks. Guard and Guin Mesh each registered three aces.