ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Cedar Crest College volleyball team is set to take on Trinity University (Texas) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, November 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. Here's a preview of Friday's contest:

Match Details
NCAA Tournament First Round: Cedar Crest College vs. No. 2 Trinity University (Texas)
Friday, November 12 | 5:30 p.m. | Canavan Arena | Hoboken, N.J.

Live Stats | Video | NCAA Tournament Program | NCAA Tournament Bracket

The Matchup

Cedar Crest comes into its first NCAA Tournament appearance with a 20-5 overall record along with a 9-0 mark in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC). The Falcons received the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament after sweeping Notre Dame of Maryland University, 3-0, in the championship match on Saturday, November 6. (RECAP) The Falcons enter the tournament riding a 14-match win streak.

Trinity received the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament out of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) after defeating Southwestern University, 3-1, in the conference championship match. The Tigers come into the tournament with a 31-2 overall record, including being the winners of 12 straight matches.

The matchup on Friday between the Falcons and Tigers will be the first time the two programs have met.

Cedar Crest (20-5 overall, CSAC Champions) | Schedule/Results | Statistics

The Falcons' roster features the CSAC Player/Rookie of the Year in sophomore Ava Grapsy (Macungie, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic), Defensive Player of the Year in graduate student

Tiffany Hoppes (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), and Coach of the Year Shelby Morgan.

Grapsy enters the NCAA Tournament leading NCAA Division III in total triple-doubles (12). She also ranked in the top five in the conference in hitting percentage (.283), kills (260), service aces (51), and digs (284), along with leading the league in points (324.5).

Hoppes has tallied 468 digs so far this season, en route to her Defensive Player of the Year award. She led the CSAC in digs and ranked in the top 10 in service aces with 45.

Hoppes also ranks among the top 25 in NCAA Division III in digs per set (25^th, 5.57).

Cedar Crest had six total CSAC All-Conference honorees (Grapsy, Hoppes, Kelsee Schouppe (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), Talia Watson (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton), Maddison Minyo (Covington, Pa./North Penn-Mansfield), Alexis Cummins (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge)).

No. 2 Trinity (Texas) (31-2 overall, SCAC Champions) | Schedule/Results | Statistics

The Tigers enter the tournament ranked No. 2 in the 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Women's Division III Top 25 poll from November 9.

Trinity's roster features the SCAC Player of the Year Avery Tuggle (Cedar Creek, Texas) along with SCAC Coach of the Year Julie Jenkins, her 15^th time receiving the award, the most of any coach in any SCAC sport in conference history.

The Tigers had six players named as All-Conference, which led the conference. Senior outside hitter Annie Rose Legget (Austin, Texas) and right-side hitter Sara Flynn (Seattle, Wash.) joined Tuggle with First Team All-Conference selections.

Senior right-side hitter Sarah Wiliammee (Denver, Colo.) was Trinity's only Second Team selection, while senior Alexis Acevedo (San Antonio, Texas) and junior Marisa Amarino (Calabasas, Calif.) rounded out the All-Conference honorees for the Tigers.

Up Next

The winner of Friday's contest will square off against the winner of the host site Stevens Institute of Technology and Middlebury College match on Saturday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m.
 
For the latest on Cedar Crest Athletics, follow the Falcons via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!