ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The top-seeded Flagler College women's volleyball team captured its third consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament Championship with a 3-0 sweep over second-seeded USCA Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Saints became the first program since 2015-17 to win three consecutive Tournament titles.
  
QUOTES FROM COACH
"I'm incredibly proud of this team and what they've accomplished. Winning a conference tournament championship is never easy, and to come back and do it for a second consecutive year speaks volumes about the character, commitment, and work ethic of this group. Championships are earned through the daily work, the sacrifices, and the belief in one another, and this team has embodied all of those things. It's a special accomplishment for our program, and I'm grateful to be able to celebrate it with this group." Head coach Jeff Reynolds said.

Flagler vs. USCA
Score: Flagler 3, USCA 0 (25-12, 25-22, 25-13)  
Location: St. Augustine, Fla. (Flagler Gymnasium)  
Records: Flagler (28-3, PBC 15-0), USCA (22-7, PBC 12-3)
  
OPENING VOLLEY  

• Marley Middlebrooks led the Saints offensively with 11 kills, six digs and two service aces. She finished with 13.5 points.
• Mar'ley Phillips finished with eight kills, adding two service aces and two block assists for 11 points.
• Katherine Rank was a menace on the front row for the Saints'. She contributed seven kills while hitting .500. Rank added three blocks, including two solo blocks, for 9.5 points.
• Gracie Fleming posted eight kills while hitting an impressive .571. she added two block assists and one dig.
• Gia Lowe recorded five kills and a .267 hitting percentage while adding two solo blocks.
• Jilly Young commanded the Saints' offense with a team-high 31 assists while adding eight digs.
• Amelia Fitzpatrick not only anchored the back row but was explosive all around the court with a team-high 12 digs and three service aces.
• Bella Ciolino delivered a strong performance on the service line with tying the team-high service aces with three. Ciolino also contributed two digs.
• Jolie Trudeau recorded nine digs, while Emmi Cheek added eight digs and two assists.

 
THE DIFFERENCE  

• Flagler established control early in the opening set, taking a 4-2 advantage before USCA battled back to even the score 4-4. The Saints responded with a strong stretch of play, using kills from Katherine Rank and Marley Middlebrooks, along with a block from Rank, to build their advantage. Amelia Fitzpatrick added consecutive service aces to help extend the lead, while Middlebrooks delivered back-to-back kills to put Flagler ahead 21-11. The Saints continued to apply pressure down the stretch, with Rank recording two consecutive kills before a block from Rank and Mar'ley Phillips secured the 25-12 opening-set victory.
• USCA came out strong in the second set, building an early 5-1 advantage. Flagler gradually worked their way back into the set, using kills from Gia Lowe and Middlebrooks to close the gap before tying the score at 7-7. The teams continued to trade points, with neither side able to establish a significant advantage. With the score tied at 19-19, the Saints found another gear. Bella Ciolino delivered consecutive service aces to spark a late scoring run, helping Flagler build a 23-19 lead. Gracie Fleming followed with a timely kill, and another attack from Fleming sealed the 25-22 victory and gave the Saints a two-set advantage.
• The Saints carried their momentum into the third set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead behind strong serving and efficient offensive execution. USCA attempted to respond, but Flagler continued to extend their advantage with Phillips delivering a service ace before Rank and Middlebrooks added consecutive kills to help push the lead 16-7. The Saints maintained control throughout the reminder of the championship with a block, giving Flagler the 25-13 set victory and completing the sweep.

 
NOTABLES

• Senior Katherine Rank was named the PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player after delivering a standout performance at the net throughout the tournament.
• Marley Middlebrooks and Amelia Fitzpatrick joined Rank on the PBC All-Tournament Team. Middlebrooks led the Saints offensively with a team-high 11 kills, while Fitzpatrick anchored the defense with a team-high 12 digs.
• Flagler improved to 28-3 overall with the championship victory, posting a .903 winning percentage, the program's best in the rally-scoring era.
• The Saints finished with a 15-1 home record, setting a program record for the most home victories in a season while recording a .938 home winning percentage.
• Flagler captured its third consecutive PBC Tournament Championship, marking the programs third three-peat in conference tournament history.
• Augusta University was the last program to win consecutive PBC Tournament championships, capturing four straight titles from 2018-21.

 
UP NEXT
With the victory, Flagler earned an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship. The Saints will learn their opponent and destination during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 10:00 p.m. on NCAA.com. Flagler Athletics will provide additional information when it becomes available.
 
CONNECT WITH THE SAINTS: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
DOWNLOAD TEAM SCHEDULES: Download Center
FOLLOW YOUR FAVORITE SAINTS TEAM: Sign up for Newsletter