William Paterson University Athletics

WAYNE, N.J. – The top-seeded William Paterson volleyball team (26-6) advanced to the ECAC Division III Women's Volleyball Championship final with a 25-8, 25-11, 25-15 semifinal victory against fourth-seeded FDU-Florham (14-14) Nov. 18 at the Sports and Recreation Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers reeled off the first nine points of the match, running out to a 25-8 first-set victory.
• William Paterson scored 12 of the final 13 points of a 25-11 win during the second set.
• Knotted at 7-7 in the third set, WP used two aces and a pair of kills to spark a 7-1 run, eventually putting the match away with a 25-15 triumph.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Freshman middle hitter Sofia Zablackis (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) recorded four block assists to raise her total blocks to 117, matching the WP single-season record (Kelly Helfrich, 2017).
• Freshman setter Abby Houpt (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) recorded her 1,000th assist of the season, dishing out 29 during the match as well as a season-best seven service aces. She is the second Pioneer to eclipse the 1,000-assist barrier during a single season (Deni Sobleck, 1153, 2003).
• Freshman outside hitter Natalie Zabloudil (London, Ohio/London) put down a match-best 12 kills, her 21st double-digit kills match of the year. 
• Freshman outside hitter Cecilia Miller (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) had 10 kills and eight digs.
• Junior libero Paola Molina (Hatillo, Puerto Rico/Colegio San Felipe) collected 10 digs.
• WP matched the school record for volleyball victories (26-11, 1988).

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will face the winner of the Allegheny/Penn State Behrend semifinal in the ECAC Tournament championship match Nov. 18 at 3:00 p.m.

 
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS:

• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia