The American University volleyball team earned its 10th Patriot League Championship in 11 seasons on Sunday after defeating Army in four sets, 25-21, 25-21, 21-25 and 25-21.

Sara Rishell was named tournament MVP following the victory and was joined on the All-Patriot League Team by Rebecca Heath and Monika Smidova.

Rishell led the team with a .417 hitting percentage in today's match, with 11 kills and one error, also adding nine blocks. Her 19 total blocks over the weekend was a Patriot League tournament record, which was previously held by Laura Rohrbacher from Colgate during the 2000 tournament.

Smidova recorded a team-high 16 digs for the Eagles, also adding 18 assists. Heath notched 12 kills and 12 digs for American for her second consecutive double-double. She has now posted double-digit kills in 26 matches this season. Juliana Crum had a team-best 15 kills.

The Eagles also broke the team record for blocks in a Patriot League tournament with 30, which had been held by American's 2005 Patriot League Champion squad.

American (23-10, 13-1 PL) has won 10 of the last 11 Patriot League Championships and are a perfect 20-0 in tournament play at Bender Arena. The Eagles will now wait to hear who and where they will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced next Sunday, November 27 on ESPNU at 6 p.m. This will mark American's 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 15 years.

The Eagles took a quick 13-8 lead over Army (23-8, 12-2 PL) in the first set before the Black Knights were able to score five straight points to tie the match at 13. Crum was able to come up with a kill to end the Army run, and American was able to stop another Army comeback to take the first set, 25-21.

Crum continued to remain dominant in the second set, posting five kills for the Eagles as they held off another Army rally at the end to take the 25-21 win and the 2-0 match lead into the intermission.

But the Black Knights were able to hold off the sweep and take the third set, 25-21. The score was tied 10 times during the match, but a kill from Margaux Jarka would give Army the win with the Eagles holding on to the 2-1 match advantage.

The score was tied 10 times once again in the fourth set before the Eagles were able to take an 18-14 lead on a block by Kelly McCaddin. Army would tie it at 21 after an Ariana Mankus kill, but a service error and two kills by Rishell, with one from Bree Scarbrough would secure the Eagles the championship.

"It's great, a great match for sure," said Head Coach Barry Goldberg. "We struggled in attacking, both nights against good defensive teams. We just got through enough at the end of this game with a couple of good blocks at the net. It was a match that really could have went either way. All the games were close, but we ended up being a little stronger."

The Eagles held both tournament opponents under a .100 hitting percentage, as Army hit .092 on the day.

American will enter the NCAA Tournament riding a 10-match win streak and 18 of the team's last 19 matches.