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Leah Daniel attacking in the 2021 CAA Championship Final vs. Towson | Nov. 20, 2021
Nick Sibol/Towson Athletics

Women's Volleyball

Volleyball Falls to Towson in CAA Championship

Box Score TOWSON, Md. - Elon University Volleyball built a two-set lead, but fell 3-2 to No. 1 seed Towson on Saturday, Nov. 20 in the CAA Championship final at SECU Arena.

"Congratulations to Towson on winning the championship," head coach Mary Tendler said after the match. "I have a lot of respect for their team and their coaching staff."
 
Jenn Krzeminski and Haylie Clark were named to the All-Tournament Team. Towson's Irbe Lazda was named the Most Outstanding Performer and was joined by teammates Nina Cajic and Lydia Wiers. Rounding out the Team were Hofstra's Chiara Cucco and Delaware's Grace Underwood.
   
Elon 2, Towson 3 (25-19, 25-17, 19-25, 23-25, 12-15)
THE RUNDOWN

Clark served a pair of early aces as the Phoenix (17-11) earned five straight points to take a 6-3 lead in the opening set. The Tigers (26-4) were able to pull to within a point at 12-11, but Krzeminski scored a ball from Clark and followed with an ace to open a 3-0 run. A pair of Kellyn Trowse kills and an ace by Jordan Gower extended the lead, 21-15. The maroon and gold then closed out the set, 25-19 thanks to consecutive kills by Clark and Natalie Cummins.
 
Elon stayed hot in the second set as the team jumped out to a 5-0 lead. However, the tournament hosts answered with a 5-0 run of their own to knot up the score. After another tie at 8-8, Sydney Love opened a 3-0 push as the Phoenix wrestled back control. Clark and Cummins recorded a block and Clark served up an ace to create some separation at 18-13. Down the stretch, three kills by Trowse highlighted another 5-0 run and Elon won another set, 25-17.
 
The Phoenix held a 14-13 advantage in the third set, but the Tigers earned four-straight points and never looked back. Towson used a late 5-1 swing and kept their title hopes alive with a 25-19 decision.
 
In Set Four, Towson built a 5-0 lead before Krzeminski halted the run with a kill. Cummins then converted an attack, registered a block with Clark, and Krzeminski served an ace to trim the host's lead to 5-4. Elon pulled even at 14-14 as Cummins and Daniel denied consecutive attempts by the Tigers. The sides continued to trade points until a Towson kill and an Elon ball handling error gave the Tigers the set, 25-23.
 
Elon trailed 11-7 in the decisive set but refused to go down without a fight. Kills from Krzeminski and Daniel, a Towson attack error and an ace by Alex VanWestrienen evened the score at 11-11. However, the Tigers strung together three consecutive kills and captured the CAA title with a score of 15-12.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Clark and Trowse turned in double-doubles for the second-straight match. Clark finished with 46 assists and 13 digs while adding eight kills, three aces and four blocks to her totals. Trowse ended up with 13 kills, 12 digs, one assist, one ace and two blocks. Krzeminski paced the attack as she swung for a .652 clip with a team-high 15 kills and two aces. Cummins also reached double-digit kills with 10 on a .529 hitting percentage while Daniel chipped in seven kills.
 
On defense, Gower pace the back row with 16 digs while serving seven aces with one ace. Cummins led the blocking effort as the senior tallied nine for the second time in as many days and Daniel recorded two.
 
"Our players fought hard from start to finish and played a great match in our opponent's gym," continued Tendler. "While it is very tough to come so close and not earn the win, I know this experience will be very valuable in the future."
 
NOTES
- This was the first time in Elon's NCAA Division I history that the Phoenix reached a conference tournament final.
- Elon's 17 wins this season are the most since 2016 when the Phoenix finished 18-15.
- Towson took 2-of-3 matches from the Phoenix this season and is now ahead 16-2 in the all-time series. The teams split their CAA series at SECU Arena back on Oct. 2-3.
- Elon outhit Towson, .242 - 236.
- The Phoenix edged the Tigers in points (79.0-76.5), service aces (8-5) and blocks (11-10).
- The match featured 22 ties and nine lead changes.
- It was the eighth double-double of the season for Clark and the fourth for Trowse.
- Clark pushes her streak of matches with double-digit assists to 53.
- Krzeminski's 15 kills marks a new career high.
- Cummins tied her season high in blocks.
- The 13 kills mark a season high for Trowse.
 
--ELON--
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Players Mentioned

Haylie Clark

#9 Haylie Clark

S/RS
5' 11"
Senior
OTVA
Natalie Cummins

#8 Natalie Cummins

MB/RS
6' 3"
Senior
Baltimore Elite
Jordan Gower

#18 Jordan Gower

DS/L
5' 4"
Junior
Triangle Volleyball
Jenn Krzeminski

#13 Jenn Krzeminski

MB
6' 3"
Junior
East Coast Power
Kellyn Trowse

#12 Kellyn Trowse

OH/RS
6' 2"
Senior
Tampa Elite/OTVA Elite
Alex VanWestrienen

#6 Alex VanWestrienen

DS/L
5' 8"
Junior
Sports Performance
Sydney Love

#10 Sydney Love

OH
6' 3"
Freshman
Beach Elite

Players Mentioned

Haylie Clark

#9 Haylie Clark

5' 11"
Senior
OTVA
S/RS
Natalie Cummins

#8 Natalie Cummins

6' 3"
Senior
Baltimore Elite
MB/RS
Jordan Gower

#18 Jordan Gower

5' 4"
Junior
Triangle Volleyball
DS/L
Jenn Krzeminski

#13 Jenn Krzeminski

6' 3"
Junior
East Coast Power
MB
Kellyn Trowse

#12 Kellyn Trowse

6' 2"
Senior
Tampa Elite/OTVA Elite
OH/RS
Alex VanWestrienen

#6 Alex VanWestrienen

5' 8"
Junior
Sports Performance
DS/L
Sydney Love

#10 Sydney Love

6' 3"
Freshman
Beach Elite
OH