Defending Champions Accept Bid to ECAC New England Volleyball Tournament

CENTERVILLE, Mass.--Western New England University will have the opportunity to repeat as an Eastern College Athletic Conference women's volleyball champion after accepting a bid Monday to the 2013 ECAC New England tournament, which the Golden Bears won last season at No. 1 seed Brandeis University.

Western New England will begin its title defense on Wednesday (7 p.m.) when it hosts a familiar foe in the University of New England at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house. The Golden Bears are seeded second in the tournament with a 22-9 record while the #7 Nor'easters are 14-10. Both teams went 5-3 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference, splitting the season series going into the rubber match as each team won on the other's home court. UNE was victorious 25-23, 10-25, 27-25, 25-21 on Sep. 28 in Springfield and then WNE prevailed in a five-set thriller in the CCC Quarterfinals last Tuesday in Biddeford, Maine.

The eight-team field also includes top-seeded Salve Regina University (25-4, 7-1 CCC), No. 3 Endicott College (22-15, 6-2 CCC), No. 4 Smith College (21-8, 6-4 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference), No. 5 Framingham State University (26-7, 5-1 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference), No. 6 Emmanuel College (23-13, 10-1 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship) and No. 8 Emerson College (15-12, 3-7 NEWMAC).

First Round - Wednesday, Nov. 13
No. 8 Emerson at No. 1 Salve Regina, 7:00 PM
No. 7 University of New England at No. 2 Western New England, 7:00 PM
No. 6 Emmanuel at No. 3 Endicott, 7:00 PM
No. 5 Framingham State at No. 4 Smith, 7:00 PM

Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 16 at Highest Remaining Seed
No. 1 Salve Regina /No. 8 Emerson Winner vs. No. 4 Smith /No. 5 Framingham State Winner, TBD
No. 2 Western New England /No. 7 University of New England Winner vs. No. 3 Endicott /No. 6 Emmanuel, TBD

Championship - Saturday, Nov16 at Highest Remaining Seed
Two Semifinal Winners, TBD