Lancaster, Pa. – (11/8/2024) – With the conclusion of the conference and regular season schedules, interim league commissioner Rebecca Mullen has officially released the seeding for the
2024 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament. A perfect 6-0 league record earned Marymount University the top seed in the tournament, while #2 Neumann University and #3 Marywood University also earn First-Round byes with respective 5-1 and 4-2 conference records. Wins over Centenary University (N.J.) (W, 3-0; 25-10, 25-15, 25-14 on Oct. 16), Pratt Institute (W, 3-0; 25-9, 25-22, 25-15 on Oct. 30), and Immaculata University (W, 3-0; 25-14, 25-14, 29-27 on Nov. 2), earned Gwynedd Mercy University the #4 seed in the league's postseason bracket and a home postseason contest versus #5 Pratt Institute on Tuesday, November 12; opening serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Pratt Institute visited the Griffin Complex on October 30 for the Griffins and Cannoneers conference showdown. The Red and Gold scored their second AEC victory of the season with a 3-0 (25-9, 25-22, 25-15) triumph. Junior setter
Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.) served the Griffins to a 6-0 head start in a dominant 25-9 first-set win. In the second set, the Red and Gold sported a 24-15 lead before eventually ending a seven-point rally by the Cannoneers; 25-22. Gwynedd Mercy University sought the sweep from the start of the third set, pursued it with a 7-3 start, and a captured it with a 25-15 conclusion.
Gwynedd Mercy University hit .198 (28K-11E-86TA) for the match with a .345 (13K-3E-29TA) execution rate in the third set. Gaston was one of two Griffins with four aces in a season's best 14-ace performance for Gwynedd Mercy University. In addition, sophomore outside hitter
Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) also served for four aces. Freshman libero
Annalise Kuppel (Estell Manor, N.J.) served for three, junior defensive specialist
Amanda Lopez (Houston, Texas) spotted two, and fifth-year outside hitter
Bria Purnell (Reading, Pa.) marked one. Purnell led the Griffins in scoring with 13.5 points as she totaled a dozen (12) kills on a .310 (12K-3E-29TA) hitting percentage and provided a block assist. Kuppel added a team-high nine digs to her three points.
The Griffins finished the regular season at 16-10 overall and 3-3 in conference play. The current win total is the most since the 2006 campaign, when the Red and Gold reached the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) Semifinals with a 18-8 overall record and a 9-2 league standing.
The 2024 season has been historically significant for various individuals, especially for Purnell who surpassed 1,000 career kills in a September-19 match at Alvernia University, surpassed 100 career aces in a September-28 match versus Penn State Brandywine, became the program's all-time leader in kills in an October-2 match at Bryn Mawr, and became the program's all-time leader in points in an October-19 match versus FDU-Florham. She is currently the league leader in kills (1
st, 361), kills per set (1
st, 3.84), and points (1
st, 417.0; 361 kills, 47 aces, 4 solo blocks, 10 block assists), while ranking among the Top-10 in aces (4
th, 47), hitting percentage (6
th, .185; 361K-173E-1,014TA), and digs (9
th, 239).
Gaston has been equally impressive at the setter position with her 863 assists and 53 aces ranking her second among her league rivals. Like Purnell she has been a mainstay on the AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Report and she celebrated a milestone on September 9, when she recorded her 100
th career ace in the Griffins' 3-2 (25-19, 21-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-13) victory at Alvernia University. She has also recorded 45 kills on a .168 (45K-14E-185TA) hitting percentage, while hustling to 219 digs and 27.0 total blocks (4 solo, 23 assisted).
Etter ranks second on the team in points with 319.0 (276 kills, 33 aces, 4 solo blocks, 12 block assists), while junior
Charlotte Pugh (Philadelphia, Pa.) has totaled 193.5 points (164 kills, 14 aces, 3 solo blocks, 25 block assists) and a team-high 306 digs from the right side, middle hitter, and libero roles. Kuppel has been a factor as well with 28 aces and 193 digs.
