MONTGOMERY, Ala. – To say Blue Mountain Christian Volleyball has owned the Southern States Athletic Conference over the last three seasons would be an understatement.
The Volley Toppers won their third straight SSAC Tournament Championship Saturday, sweeping Mobile 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-17).
For the last 41 SSAC matches, Blue Mountain has answered the call all 41 times and defeated its conference opponents, including this year's championship that saw them sweep all five matches, putting them on a 24-game win streak, one of the tops in the nation. The last SSAC team to beat Blue Mountain was Mobile, and that was over a year ago on September 10, 2022.
"It's a great feeling," BMCU head coach
Reid Gann said after the finals Saturday. "I can't start to describe the amount of work these young ladies have put in this season. The wear and tear from playing, long road trips, practices, maintaining good grades and just everything that goes on with a student-athlete; these are all a part of their everyday lives and requirements, but they haven't batted an eye getting it all done. They have shown up every game and played their hearts out, and I'm so proud for them."
Despite the second set being close, SSAC Player of the Year
Gigi Sasso made sure Mobile wouldn't stay in it, as she finished with 14 kills to lead the Toppers.
Rae Ann Hall also added 10 kills at a .381 clip and
Olivia Ashton had eight kills at .333.
Jaiyah Jackson led the way defensively with 14 digs for the Toppers, while
Reanna Brown had 22 assists and
Michaela Frederick added 14 in the 6-2.
The Toppers belted the ball at a .345 clip as a team with the Rams doing very little to be able and stop them.
BMCU will now head to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the third straight season with a 25-1 overall record. As per previous seasons, the Toppers are likely to draw a Top 25 team in the nation on enemy soil.
The Toppers will learn where they will travel Monday, November 13 at 2 p.m. CST at the NAIA Countdown Show on the NAIA YouTube Channel
here.
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