CENTER VALLEY (PA) – The Delaware Valley College volleyball team clinched its first Freedom Conference playoff berth since 1988 despite a 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-15) setback at DeSales University.

The loss dropped the Aggies to 18-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play with one Freedom match remaining (next Wednesday at home against King's). However, Misericordia University suffered a 3-0 setback at FDU-Florham on Tuesday evening and left the Cougars with a 2-4 Freedom record. The best they can do is tie Delaware Valley for fourth place in the standings, but the Aggies own the tiebreaker thanks to a five-set at Misericordia earlier in the season. Thus, Delaware Valley is in the postseason for the first time since before any of the players on the current roster were born.

The Aggies, whose roster is comprised of all freshmen and sophomores with the exception of one junior transfer, will travel to either defending conference champion and fifth-ranked Eastern University or DeSales for the Freedom Conference semifinals two weeks from tomorrow, November 2. DeSales clinched no worse than the second seed and at least one home playoff match with the win over Delaware Valley as improved to 25-3 overall and 6-0 in the Freedom.

Janel Gluch paced the Aggies with 11 kills and just one error in 24 attacks. Destinee Horning added eight kills and three blocks while Alyssa Riggins finished with six kills. Crystal Ronan dished out 24 assists and dug out 12 balls in the loss. 

Lauren Hickey, Paige Horrigan and Haley Petrarca had 10 kills apiece to lead DeSales. Justine McNulty added 37 assists and 13 digs.