The American University volleyball advanced to the Patriot League Championship match on Saturday with a resounding 3-0 win over Colgate in West Point, N.Y. The Eagles trailed only once in the entire match and held the Raiders to a .053 hitting percentage. American's victory came by set scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 25-11.

Colgate (15-13, 11-3) opened a 4-0 lead to begin the first set but American (18-11, 11-3) quickly retied the score at five on a Cassandra Ricketts kill before back-to-back blocks by Ricketts and Claire Recht gave the Eagles an 8-5 lead. A 5-0 run midway through the frame extended the Eagles lead to 20-11. Colgate scored three straight points late to get back to within four, 24-20, but an Ann Recht kill on the next play secured the set for American, 25-20.

The Eagles sprinted out to a 10-2 lead to open the second on the strength of a 7-0 run which was capped off by a Magdalena Tekiel kill and service ace on consecutive plays. Colgate fought back to within four once again, 11-7, but a 5-0 American run put the set out of reach, 16-7. The Eagles' lead reached as many as 11 points, 22-11, following a C. Recht kill as American took set point, 25-17.

A 9-0 run in the opening moments of the third set all but sealed the victory for American as a Tekiel ace and Angelina Waterman kill gave the Eagles a 10-1 lead. American's advantage reached 15-5 after consecutive Waterman kills and 20-6 following a Colgate error. A Ricketts and Bianca Richardson block earned the Eagles a chance at set point, 24-10. Richardson then scored match point two plays later, 25-11, advancing American into the championship match.

American combined for a .284 hitting percentage as five different Eagles recorded at least five kills. C. Recht led the way offensively and defensively with nine kills and seven total blocks. Ricketts and Waterman each added seven kills to go along with five blocks and three blocks, respectively. American limited the Raiders to a .053 hitting percentage, forcing 23 errors and totaling 10 blocks.

American will meet top-seeded Army tomorrow, November 22, at 4 p.m. to decide the 2009 Patriot League Champion and who will represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament. American has won eight consecutive conference championships and has made 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament in the last 12 seasons. The Eagles are 5-0 all-time against the Black Knights in the Patriot League Tournament including three victories in the championship match. Army, however, handed American one of its three conference losses this season.

Admission to Gillis Field House for the championship match is free. Fans unable to attend can watch all of the action live on Patriot League All-Access by clicking here.