VIRGINA BEACH, Va. – The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College volleyball team finished the 2016 season on Saturday as the USCAA Volleyball National Runners-Up. The #8 Pomeroys earned a rematch with #2 Florida College in the USCAA Volleyball National Championship after falling to FC in 2015's title game. 2016 yielded the same result with the Pomeroys finishing runners-up, however, they took the defending champs to five sets before falling, 3-2 (16-25, 25-20, 14-25, 25-20, 6-15).  

SMWC's runner-up finish for 2016 is an impressive feat when you look back on the season. The Pomeroys sneaked into the national championship as the eight seed and went on to win their pool and then take down #3 Alfred State and #5 Rochester to get to the title game for a second year in a row. To get to the title game the Pomeroys won a program record seven straight matches.

The 2016 USCAA Volleyball National Championship match lived up to the billing with five sets of volleyball. Sophomore Monica Mack and McKenzi Kumpf led the Pomeroys in kills with 10 each. Mack again hit with great efficiency, as she recorded a .391 attack percentage. Sophomore Mary Alvanos recorded 31 assists, while junior Madeline Howes recorded a match-high 28 digs. Mack turned in 8 block assists and one solo block.

The Pomeroys fell in set one, 16-25, and then fought back to claim set two, 25-20. Set two saw SMWC trailing on several occasions before a kill by sophomore Gabriella Slagle tied the set at 18. From there the Pomeroys took over with kills by sophomore Autum Loughead and Mack to win the set. Set three went to FC, 14-25. In set four, SMWC refused to go quietly, as they took the defending champs to a fifth set by claiming another 25-20 victory. Set four was much like set two in that it was close until the end when SMWC pulled away with kills by Kumpf and Freshman Meagan White.

In the final set, FC got the better of the Pomeroys , who after going 17-1 in sets prior to the championship, ran out magic and fell 6-15. The second year program has now claimed USCAA National Runners-Up titles in its first two seasons.

Alvanos and Mack earned all-tournament honors for their efforts in getting SMWC to the championship match. Alvanos recorded 172 assists through 20 sets, while Mack amassed a .370 attack percentage (50-10-108) from the middle, as well as 19 block assists and four solo blocks.

Stayed tuned to SMWCPOMEROYS.com to follow the Pomeroys as they enter the offseason and prepare for another run in 2017.