Bentley's national run begins in New York; Falcons to take on SNHU Thursday
WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley volleyball team heads to New York for its fourth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance as the Falcons take on Southern New Hampshire in the first round of the East Regional. Adelphi is hosting the regional in Garden City, N.Y.
NCAA appearances
Bentley has reached the NCAA Championship in every season that the postseason has been offered since 2019 (the NCAA Championship was cancelled in 2020). However, the Falcons did not make it out of the first round in their previous three national appearances. Bentley holds a 6-12 record in the NCAA Championship since the turn of the century.
Anticipated NCAA rematch
Bentley has an opportunity to avenge its 2022 NCAA Championship loss against the Penmen. Southern New Hampshire topped the Falcons in four sets during the first round last year. Elizabeth Blinn and Ingrid Murphy both totaled 11 kills during the match. Southern New Hampshire saw four players post double-digit kills, and it totaled 11 blocks to Bentley's four. The Falcons topped Southern New Hampshire in both of their head-to-head matches during the 2023 regular season.
The region
Bentley is the #3 seed in the East Region, and Southern New Hampshire is #6. Adelphi, the host, is the #1 seed and will take on #8 Bridgeport in the first round. #2 New Haven goes up against #7 Mercy, and #4 American International has #5 Daemen in the first round.
The duo on repeat
Ingrid Murphy and Ellie Wheeler were both named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team in 2023, as they were in 2022. For Wheeler, it was her third consecutive All-NE10 First Team selection.
Aces wild
Bentley is the second-best serving team in all of NCAA D-II, averaging 2.58 aces per set. Shaw leads the country with 2.80 aces per set.
Scouting Southern New Hampshire (13-12, 6-5 NE10)
The Penmen lead the NE10 in blocks per set (2.42). Alessandra Peli (1.12) and Claire Wohlleber (1.02) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the conference for blocks per set. Ana Pimenta's 3.21 kills per set ranks second in the NE10. Like Bentley, the Penmen reached the NE10 Semifinals a couple of weeks ago. Southern New Hampshire finished the regular season in fifth in place in the NE10 – three games behind the third-place Falcons.