SPRINGFIELD, Mass.- Following a regular season in which the team posted a 6-2 record in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and 20-14 record overall, the Endicott women's volleyball team saw five players recognized for their seasons and earn All-CCC honors. The team, ranked 12th in the most recent NEWVA Coaches Poll and NCAA Regional Poll, has earned the #3 seed in the upcoming CCC Tournament and will play host to #6 Eastern Nazarene on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in quarterfinal action.
Headlining the five players that received honors was First Team All-CCC outside hitter Callie Dolan (Westford, Mass.). Second team honorees consist of middle Mackenzie Guerre (Carlsbad, Calf.), setter Alleigh VandeMerkt (Riverside, Ill.) and libero Erika Trudon (Coventry, Conn.). Rounding out the honors was outside Tori McIntyre (San Diego, Calif.).
Callie Dolan, who has eclipsed the 1,000 career kill mark on the season, has received two ECAC DIII New England Player of the Week nods while also being named CCC Player of the Week twice. She enters the Tournament with 355 kills on the season which is already good enough for the seventh best single season output in Endicott history. Her 1,044 career kills also place her in 6th all-time in Endicott career history. Earlier this season, Dolan came within one kill of tying the single match record for kills as she put up 25 against St. Anselm. Her best CCC match came against fourth seeded UNE as she buried 14 kills on 31 attempts while hitting .355. On the season, Dolan ranked fourth in kills per set, fifth in total kills, sixth in total attacks and points per set and eighth in points in CCC play. The senior is a two-time All-CCC member as she received 2nd Team honors in 2012.
Mackenzie Guerre, who was named as the CCC Rookie of the Year in 2012 and was an All-CCC First Team member, was named to the All-CCC Second Team in 2013 after ranking in the top 10 in nine different categories. Guerre finished regular season play ranked second in hitting percentage, assist blocks, total blocks and blocks per set, fourth in points and block assists, fifth in points per set, sixth in kills and eighth in kills per set. The sophomore finished the regular season second on the Gulls in kills, first in hitting percentage, points and first in all blocking categories. She was a one time ECAC DIII New England Player of the Week and one time CCC Player of the Week. The middle set a career high with 20 kills on 31 error-free swings against UMass Boston. She is currently sixth in single season attack percentage in Endicott history, 10th in highest single season kill total and 10th in total points.
Alleigh VandeMerkt, the sophomore setter, has enjoyed a breakout season in which she has quickly ascended the all-time Endicott rankings. VandeMerkt has already racked up 1,164 assists on the season, moving her into 5th place on the all-time single season list. Her 9.09 assists per set also rank fifth best in Endicott history. VandeMerkt leads the team in double-double performances as she has recorded 10 on the season (assists and digs). She also already ranks fourth in Endicott career history with 1,812 assists. VandeMerkt, an All-CCC Honorable Mention honoree in 2012, is third on the team in aces (40) and digs (269). She has led the 2013 squad to their highest team hitting percentage since 2008 as they are hitting .197 on the season, up from a .141 average in 2012.
Erika Trudon, who enjoyed success from the moment she was named the team's starting libero in the sixth match of the season, has jumped into the top 10 in all-time single season performances in Endicott history. The freshman has posted 478 digs on the season, good enough for 10th. Since she has been named as the team's libero, she has averaged 4.33 digs per set while reaching double digit dig totals in 23 of 27 matches. She has passed the heralded 30 dig plateau twice on the season as she notched 31 digs against Colby-Sawyer and 30 against Haverford. Trudon has notched 20 digs or more in 10 matches this season, 15 or more in 14. She is a three time CCC Libero of the Week and leads the team with 63 aces.
Tori McIntyre, one of the team's most versatile players, has proven all season that she possesses a complete all-around game and for that, was named to the All-CCC Honorable Mention team. The freshman ranks third on the team in kills with 254, second on the team in digs with 293, and third on the team in points and points per set with 325.0 and 2.7 respectively. McIntyre finished the regular season second on the team in double-doubles (kills/digs) with six and was a two time CCC Rookie of the Week winner.
The All-CCC members and the rest of the Endicott roster will be in action tonight as they play host to the sixth seeded Eastern Nazarene. The Gulls were able to sweep the Lions in Endicott's regular season finale. The winner of this matchup will advance to play the #2 seed Salve Regina who has a bye in the first round. The other quarterfinal match sees #4 University of New England host #5 Western New England, with the winner advancing to play #1 Roger Williams whose only CCC loss on the season came against Endicott.