LEXINGTON, Va. – The 11th-ranked Washington and Lee University women's volleyball team will square off with second-ranked Hope College on Wednesday, Dec. 4 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Divison III Tournament at 7 p.m. inside the Cregger Center in Salem, Va.
FIRST QUARTERFINAL SINCE:
The Generals (35-2) are making their first trip to the National Quarterfinals after winning the Regional Championship for the first time in program history.
The Flying Dutch (28-2) are making their third consecutive trip to the national quarterfinals and their sixth in program history. Hope won their first national title in 2014 while finishing as the runner-up last season. They reached the semifinals in 2009 and fell in the quarterfinals in 2013 and 2022.
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Both teams went 3-0 en route to their respective regional championships, securing their spots in the National Quarterfinals. The Blue and White earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) automatic bid by overcoming Virginia Wesleyan University, 3-2, in the conference title game on Nov. 16. The Generals dropped only one set during the opening weekend, sweeping two of their opponents at the Newport News Regional Pod. W&L defeated John Jay College in straight sets to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2006 before beating Stevens Institute 3-1 in the Regional Semifinals. The Generals claimed the program's first Regional Championship on Nov. 23 by defeating Christopher Newport University in straight sets.
Hope earned an automatic bid into the big dance after defeating Calvin University, 3-1, to claim their second consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title. They hosted one of the eight regional pods, recording three consecutive sweeps to advance to the National Quarterfinals. Hope dispatched Greenville University in the Regional Quarterfinals before sweeping the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to reach the Regional Finals for the fifth straight year. They secured their third consecutive Regional Championship by defeating No. 12 Millikin University in straight sets.
MATCHUP HISTORY:
The Generals and Flying Dutch will square off for the first time in program history on Wednesday.
TEAM COMPARISON & TOP INDIVIDUALS:
W&L enters the National Quarterfinals riding a 16-match winning streak and holding a 35-2 overall record. The Generals have recorded 1,711 kills on 4,915 attempts, achieving a .248 hitting percentage. Offensively, they rank 11th in Division III in assists per set (12.73), 13th in hitting percentage, and 16th in kills per set (13.55). They also rank fourth in total assists (1,604), sixth in kills (1,711), and seventh in total attacks (4,915). Defensively, the Blue and White are among the top teams in Division III, ranking third in total digs (2,577) and fourth in digs per set (20.47).
Senior Avery Myers leads the offensive charge with 455 kills on 1,409 attempts, posting a .235 hitting percentage. Sophomore Grace Mitchener and junior Riley Debiec follow with 432 and 349 kills, respectively. This marks the first time since the 2007 season that three players—Rachael Phillips '10, Laura Maurer '09, and Jessica Hudock '08—have each tallied 300 or more kills in a single season.
Senior Allie Buchholz has been instrumental in orchestrating the offense, tallying 1,239 assists across 37 matches, which ranks fourth in Division III this season. She also ranks third on the team in digs (419) and blocks (50) while leading with 40 service aces. Sophomore Vivi Vasquez has been a standout on defense, setting a new ODAC single-season record with 662 digs. She has also maintained a .947 reception percentage while contributing 28 service aces and 106 assists.
Hope enters the Elite Eight with a 28-2 record and a 20-match winning streak. The Flying Dutch have recorded 1,416 kills on 3,669 attempts for a .275 hitting percentage. Offensively, they rank second in Division III in kills per set (14.30) and assists per set (13.28) while ranking fifth in hitting percentage.
Addie VanderWeide leads the Flying Dutch offense with 343 kills on 896 attempts, achieving a .280 hitting percentage. Annie Lockett and Alison DeWeerd have combined for 556 kills this season with an impressive .327 hitting percentage. Setter Lauren Lee has been pivotal, dishing out 1,116 assists—16th most in Division III—and ranking second nationally in assists per set (11.39).
Defensively, Samantha Seib leads Hope with 438 digs, averaging 4.52 per set. She has maintained a .948 reception percentage with only 16 errors this season. Kamryn Burbridge has been a key presence in the middle, recording a team-high 78 blocks and ranking 22nd in the nation with 1.15 blocks per set.
LINKED INFORMATION:
The National Quarterfinals will be exclusively streamed on ESPN+, a subscription is required to watch live. You can also follow along on the Live Stats here. Single game tickets or session passes can be purchased
here.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the
