The Valpo volleyball team finished off a clean sweep of the Catamount Clash V Tournament and won a share of the tournament title with a 3-0 win over host Western Carolina Saturday morning in Cullowhee, N.C.

The Crusaders did not lose a game in three tournament matches and shared title honors with Kent State, who also went 3-0.

Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) led a balanced attack throughout the tournament, picking up 17 kills against the Catamounts and 31 over the three matches, tied with Nicole Schulz (Kewaskum, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) for team-high honors. Sears hit .412 Saturday, behind only Schulz who hit .500 with 10 kills on 18 attacks. Schulz hit an even .500 for the tournament, making only four errors on 54 attacks.

Jessie Fox (Granger, Ind./Penn) also put the cap on a fine all-around weekend with 10 kills and four blocks Saturday. One of only two Valpo seniors, Fox finished the weekend with 29 kills and a team-leading 13 blocks (4 solos). Freshman Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton-Fractional South), who had reached double-digit kills in nine of 10 matches entering the weekend, was held in single-digits throughout the tournament, but still managed to hit .306.

Saturday's other stars included libero Brittany Marks (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial), who had 20 digs and three aces, and Val Bollenbacher (Bremen, Ind./Bremen) who ended a career weekend with a solid five-kill, 11-dig effort.

The Crusaders hit .250 Saturday, their lowest percentage of the tournament, but held Western Carolina to just a .101 hitting mark. Valpo hit a sizzling .297 over the tourney's three matches, holding their opponents to a meager .010 percentage.

The Catamounts (3-12) were led by Meredith Harmon and Katie Hennessey who each had seven kills. Each team totaled four blocks, with Brittny Johnson picking up three for the hosts.

Valpo (8-5) will finally come home Tuesday night for their first match of the season at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Crusaders will meet DePaul, a team they swept earlier this season, at 7:00 p.m. The match will be carried live on 95.1 FM and online at www.valpo.edu/athletics.

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