GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Southwestern University women’s volleyball team advanced to the regional finals by out hustling the Maryville Scots on Friday night to win 3-0. The finals match, beginning at 7pm, will be an all SCAC affairs as the Pirates take on conference rival Trinity.

Throughout game one SU inched their way through the match, slowly gaining ground and found themselves up 13-8 halfway through the set, forcing Maryville into a timeout.

The teams traded points before the Scots put together a run, pulling within four before the Pirates turned it back on, spreading around the kills, to go up 22-15.

Maryville took another timeout, attempting to stop the run, but a miss-hit put Southwestern up 23-15 and after a sideout first-year Rachel Thibodeau drilled a kill off the Scot block and sent another back into their side to close game one out 25-16.

The Pirates opened game two with four straight points, building some padding from which to build for the remainder of the match. Maryville could never pull closer than two points and Southwestern lead by as many as six when sophomore Lindsay Thompson blocked one back to the Scots, putting SU up 15-9.

At 22-16 a mishit that sailed beyond the endline by Maryville gave the Pirates a 23-16 lead, forcing the Scots into their final timeout of the set, hoping to keep the game from closing out. SU would have none of that as Thompson’s kill closed out the set 25-18 giving the Pirates a two game lead.

Maryville would not be pushed aside as they started the third set with three straight points and lead by as many as four, 9-5, but the Pirates were able to chip away at the lead and pulled even 9-9.

A series of uncharacteristic hitting errors by Southwestern gave the Scots a three-point lead once again 16-13.

Coach Long’s well placed timeout regroup the Pirates and started a rally that tied the score once again, 16-16, and then sophomore Taylor Wright placed her attack just inside the endline to give Southwestern the lead once again.

Teams traded points with SU taking a one point lead on Maryville’s serves and the Scots pulling even on the return serve until the Pirates broke the trend taking a crucial 21-19 lead late in the game.

With the set and match within their reach the Pirates powered through to the end and sealed the victory on a block by Thompson for the 25-21 set victory and 3-0 match win.

The Pirates advance to the NCAA South Regional Finals Saturday night to face conference rival Trinity for a trip to the Elite Eight in Cleveland. Game time is set for 7:00 pm and the first 250 students will get in free!