Lions' Murphy named to All-Conference second team

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Mars Hill College freshman Maggie Murphy, who was second in the conference with 6.31 digs per set, was named second team All-South Atlantic Conference, the league announced Thursday.

The Lions ended the regular season winning five consecutive matches, including three straight matches against conference teams. Mars Hill, the seventh-seed in the upcoming Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Tournament, will take on second-seed Tusculum on Friday at 5 p.m.

Wingate University's Stormi Gale was named the South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Wingate coach Shelton Collier was named Coach of the Year for the fourth year in a row, and shared the honor with Tusculum coach Michael Robinson.

Tusculum College setter Ashley Sarmiento was named the Freshman of the Year.

Anderson University senior outside hitter Jamie Lancaster received the Scholar-Athlete Award for volleyball.

The All-Conference and All-Freshman teams are selected by the league's head coaches.

The conference awards will be presented Friday after the second of four quarterfinal matches during the opening day of the Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament. The tournament will be played at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.

Admission to the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Tournament is $5 per day for adults and $2 for college students and children 13 and under. Fans showing their Food Lion MVP card can save $1 off the adult admission price.