CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - No. 11 Trinity volleyball continued its stellar form in the NCAA Tournament, sweeping Salisbury in dominant fashion to book their place in the Sweet 16. 

Reagan Whatley (The Woodlands, TX / The Woodlands) powered the Tigers with 15 kills on 23 swings (.565), adding 2 aces and 8 digs to finish with a match-high 17 points, setting the tone on both ends. Connelley McWilliams (Austin, TX / St. Michael's) was unstoppable in the middle, hitting .667 with 10 kills on 15 attempts and contributing a block for 10.5 points, showcasing her efficiency all match long. Lauren McCarthy (Corrales, NM / Horizon) delivered 5 kills on 12 swings (.250) and anchored the front line with 4 blocks, totaling 7 points in another strong all-around outing. Courtney Pope (New Braunfels, TX / Canyon) added 5 kills and 3 blocks for 6.5 points, providing steady production throughout the sweep. Taylor Starr (Southlake, TX / Carroll) rounded out the top performers with 5 kills on 9 attempts (.333) and 2 blocks for 6 points, reinforcing Trinity's defensive presence at the net.

Trinity dictated every phase of the match, hitting .316 with 47 kills while holding Salisbury to just 20 and a .098 attack clip. Sharp setting and a 9–3 edge from the service line kept Salisbury out of rhythm all afternoon, turning the match into a controlled, one-sided performance.

The Rundown
Trinity fell behind 0–2 early, but Whatley instantly flipped the momentum with three kills while the Tigers added three service aces to surge ahead 6–3. After trading points to 9–6 with steady finishes from McWilliams and Drange, Trinity broke the set open with a seven-point run to 16–6, highlighted by strong swings from Pope and a clean kill from Kendall DeRivel (Westlake Village, CA / Viewpoint) that kept the pressure firmly on Salisbury. Trinity continued to dictate the rhythm, using consistent serving and sharp execution at the net to reach 20–10 with more scoring from Pope and Whatley. After a brief Salisbury push, the Tigers steadied immediately, closing the frame with three straight points capped by a thunderous Starr finish for a dominant 25–14 opener.

Trinity came out flying to open the second set, grabbing a quick 2–0 lead off a clean finish from Starr and a strong block from McCarthy and Pope. After Salisbury got one back, the Tigers immediately rebuilt separation as Whatley struck twice and Trinity stacked service pressure to push the lead to 8–2. McWilliams then added a composed kill to make it 10–3, and DeRivel followed with a smooth finish that extended the margin to 12–4. Drange and Whatley continued the surge as Trinity stretched the advantage to 14–6, and Starr chipped in another point at the net to reach 16–7. Salisbury put together a small run to close it to 17–12, but Trinity answered immediately, with DeRivel's steady setting helping reestablish rhythm as Whatley delivered another kill alongside two more service aces to pull away at 22–12. From there, McCarthy delivered the penultimate point on a smooth set from Jozie Dhayer (Houston, TX / Summer Creek), putting Trinity on the doorstep. Moments later, a well-placed set from Whatley found McWilliams, who hammered the final ball to seal a 25–15 finish and a commanding 2–0 match lead.

Trinity carried its momentum straight into the third set, quickly flipping a 0–1 start into a 3–1 lead behind a kill from Whatley and a sharp swing from McCarthy. The Tigers continued to build from there, with Drange adding a clean finish and then teaming with McCarthy for a block that stretched the margin to 7–3. McWilliams followed with two well-timed kills, and Whatley added another swing to push the lead to 10–4 as Trinity firmly settled into its rhythm. Trinity kept applying pressure, with McWilliams converting again through the middle before Pope and Starr combined for a strong block that extended the lead to 14–6, reinforcing the Tigers' control. Starr added another clean finish, and Whatley chipped in again as the advantage grew to 17–7, keeping Salisbury on the back foot throughout the frame. A composed kill from Lily Long (Glenview, Ill. / New Trier) helped stretch the margin to 22–11 before Salisbury made a late push that brought the score to 24–17. Trinity remained composed, and DeRivel delivered a smooth set to Starr, who hammered the final ball to close out a 25–17 win and complete the sweep.

Up Next
Trinity's excellent performances have earned themselves a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, where they will face off against either Franklin & Marshall or No.9 MIT. The match will take place at 5 p.m. (ET) and the Tigers will look to build on their post-season momentum and earn a spot in the Quarterfinals.