Butler claims Horizon League volleyball tournament title

New 2010 Vb Bracket

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Butler used a three set victory over Valparaiso (25-22, 25-22, 25-16) on Sunday at the Klotsche Center to win the Horizon League Volleyball Championship for the first time in over a decade.

The second-seeded Bulldogs, who capture their fourth Horizon League Tournament crown in school history, improve to 21-9 with the win.  The fourth-seeded Crusaders, who are tournament runner-up for the second time since joining the League in 2007, finish the campaign 26-8.

Butler will now head to the NCAA Volleyball Championship for the second time in school history.  The NCAA Tournament selection show is set for Sunday, Nov. 28, at 3 p.m. ET and will be televised live by ESPNews.

Butler senior Jessica Wolfe was named Tournament Most Valuable Player, while sophomore Gina Vera and senior Katie Daprile also earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.

Felsing tallied a match-high 13 kills and 18 points on Sunday, while Sueppel and Vera recorded match-best 22 digs and 37 assists, respectively.Sophomore Taylor Root and senior Tara Diebler representedValparaiso on the All-Tournament Team.  Benz recorded 8 kills, while Root tallied 21 digs for the Crusaders.

Butler held a .241 (46 K, 14 E, 133 TA) to .131 (40 K, 23 E, 130 TA) advantage in hitting percentage and out-blocked Valparaiso 14 to 8 in the fifth-and-final match of this year’s Horizon League Championship.

Valparaiso advanced to the championship match after sweeping Green Bay in the quarterfinals (25-17, 25-13, 25-19) and upsetting top-seeded Milwaukee, 3-0, in the semifinals (25-7, 27-25, 25-23).

Butler earned a first-round bye and defeated Cleveland State in a tough five-set match in the semifinals (25-18, 16-25, 25-20, 27-29, 15-7).

Wolfe, Daprile, Vera, Root and Diebler werejoined on the All-Tournament Team by Cleveland State freshman Jackie Dabbelt and Milwaukee freshman Elizabeth Egerer.

Check out www.horizonleague.com in late November for details on Butler’s first-round NCAA Tournament match.

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Quarterfinals -- Friday, Nov. 19
Match 1 -- #3 Cleveland State 3, #6 UIC 0
Match 2 -- #4 Valparaiso 3, #5 Green Bay 0

Semfinals -- Saturday, Nov. 20
Match 3 -- #4 Valparaiso 3, #1 Milwaukee 0
Match 4 -- #2 Butler 3, #3 Cleveland State 2

Championship -- Sunday, Nov. 21
Match 5 -- #2 Butler 3, #4 Valparaiso 0

All-Tournament Team
Jessica Wolfe, Butler (MVP)
Gina Vera, Butler
Katie Daprile, Butler
Taylor Root, Valparaiso
Tara Diebler, Valparaiso
Jackie Dabbelt, Cleveland State
Elizabeth Egerer, Milwaukee