BC won the first postseason championship in program history

Des Moines, Iowa Boston College defeated Drake University 3-1 on Wednesday night in the finals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Eagles won with scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 29-27. Drake finishes the season 30-8 overall, while BC is 24-13.

In the first period, the Eagles got off to a very quick start with a 13-4 lead, including a furious 9-0 run. The Bulldogs battled back into it to make it 24-22, but BC held strong and closed out the set with a 1-0 lead with stifling defense that held Drake to just .104 hitting. percentage in the streak and forced 10 fouls.

After Drake’s return, he ties the match 1-1 in the second set. The Eagles once again got off to a quick start in three innings and ran out to an 11-3 lead. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to just four at 20-16, but BC again managed to hold its own, winning five of the last seven points and winning the series from the middle blocker. Kate Brennan (Endicott. NY).

It all came down to four for both sides. BC knew they had to avoid the fifth set in the raucous atmosphere that was The Knapp Center. It was back-and-forth almost the entire way, but the Eagles managed to go on a quick 4-0 run to come within one point of their first postseason title. But as they’ve learned over the course of the season, most things don’t come quite that easily. Drake battled back in impressive fashion to force a 24-24 tie, but once again, as we’ve seen so often this season from this team, BC was able to regroup and take a three-point win right off the clutch. Kate Brennan and Junior outside hitter Alayna Crabtree (Normal, Sick)

Crabtree, literally saving her best for last, had a career-high 19 kills and 16 digs for her seventh double-double to end the season. Senior outside hitter Silvia Ianeselli(Trento, Italy), who was named the NIVC Tournament MVP, recorded 14 kills and 14 digs, good for her fourth double-double as she closes out her BC career. Kate Brennan, who was named to the NIVC All-Tournament Team, had another stellar performance as she closed out her collegiate volleyball career. She had 12 kills on an efficient .478 hitting percentage, along with eight blocks and five digs. Junior libero Anna Murphy (Zionsville, Ind) was also named to the NIVC All-Tournament Team and tonight against the Drake Bulldogs he did what he has done all season long anchoring the BC defense and doing all the massively important things that don’t always get noticed in the recording. 24 digs and six assists to help secure BC’s first postseason title in program history.

This was a historic, record breaking season for BC Volleyball. They posted the best start in program history at 10-0, they set the program’s single-season wins record at age 24 (the previous record was 20), and head coach Jason Kennedy became the all-time career leader. wins in program history with 82, doing it in just five seasons, the previous record was held by former head coach Andrea Leonard, who spent seven years at The Heights, and last but certainly not least, Boston College won its first-ever postseason title, defeating the likes of Buffalo, St. John’s, Xavier, Southern Miss and finally Drake, who before tonight was a perfect 10-0 at home.