GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) --- The Green Bay Phoenix volleyball team (20-10, 13-3 HL) swept the Northern Kentucky Norse (21-9, 11-5 HL) in three sets this afternoon to win the 2018 Horizon League Volleyball Tournament and earn an automatic qualification to the 2018 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship. This is the team's first tournament title since 2003, and the second in program history.
 
Green Bay 3, Northern Kentucky 0
The Phoenix showcased an impressive combined .319 clip this afternoon against the Norse, along with grit and control at the end of the each set to collect the overall match win.
 
Green Bay started set one (25-22) off a bit slow, using both timeouts before the team could get past 10 points as the Norse led by four. However, the Phoenix turned things around in the middle of the game, tying it up at 17 after a classic Taylor Wolf hammer and a block by freshman Alexandra Zakutney and sophomore Anna Eaton, also forcing an opponent timeout in the process. Afterwards, Green Bay went on a 4-0 run, and kept their three-point lead from there until the end of the set.
 
The second set (27-25) was helped by six blocks out of the team's nine total, four of those coming from the pair of sophomore Ashley Sledge and her classmate Wolf. A late Norse surge eventually tied the game at 23-23, and it almost looked like Northern Kentucky would have the energy to pull off the set win. Junior setter Maddie Yoss directed the ball again and again toward Taylor Wolf, however, who collected the last three kills in a row to clinch the set.
 
Green Bay was fired up in the last set (25-19) enough to put up an early seven-point streak to lead by five. The team never let Northern Kentucky ahead again, helped by several opponent errors as the Norse grew desperate. Again, a thundering crowd of Phoenix fans propelled Green Bay toward victory, ending the match with a standing ovation.
 
Senior Jessica Wolf, Maddie Yoss, and Taylor Wolf were named to the All-Tournament Team, with the sophomore collecting Tournament MVP honors after hammering down 23 kills, the most she's collected in just three sets this season, along with scooping up 15 digs. Yoss was a force, making 41 successful assists this afternoon, while the older Wolf took home 11 kills, two more than the top Norse attacker. In the back row, senior Vanessa Buman picked up 22 digs, the most she's made in just three sets this season as well. She was helped by senior Austyn Everingham, who notched 10 digs.
 
Selection Show Watch Party
The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will be announced next weekend on Sunday, November 25, at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Phoenix's Selection Show Watch Party Details are still yet to be determined.

Green Bay will play in the first round of the tournament, with their match taking place between November 29 and December 1.
 
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