UNIONTOWN, Pa. – Tournament Most Valuable Player Amari Earl had 12 kills and 10 digs to pace Shaw University on Saturday to a 25-12, 25-17, 25-19 win over Lyon in the finals of the USCAA Division 1 Volleyball Championships.

The win for Shaw was their first USCAA Volleyball Championship and finished a tournament where they didn't lose a set in four matches.

Shaw came out swinging from the start racing out to an 11-1 lead in the opening set as the Bears benefitted from three straight attack errors to propel them to the advantage. Lyon answered with a 9-4 burst to trim the deficit to 15-10, but five straight Shaw points pushed the advantage to 20-10 after an attack error. A kill by LeAnna Beaty pushed shaw to the opening set 25-12 win.

In the second set that saw eight ties and six lead changes, the teams held no more than two-point advantages through most of the set. A flurry late pushed Shaw to a 22-17 lead late with two kills from Khamare Steppe propelling them to the second set 25-17.

A Cristen Cleveland kill gave Lyon an 11-9 lead in the third set, but the Bears scored the next four points to regain control of the match. Lyon pulled to 16-15 on a Mollie McCoy kill which was as close as they got as Shaw scored seven of the next eight points to lead 23-16 after an attack error. A Maelie Chupin ace wrapped up the championship for Shaw.

Kamille Patrick had nine kills and Chupin added eight for the Bears, while Kylee Sabella had eight and McCoy chipped in seven for Lyon.

In the third-place match, Layla Cortez had 17 kills and 11 digs while Kitula Amaya Morales had 11 kills and 17 digs as Florida National defeated Maine-Fort Kent 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-10.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Florida National – Layla Cortez

Lyon College – Mollie McCoy, Kylee Sabella

Shaw University – Kamille Patrick, Maelie Chupin

Tournament MVP: Shaw University – Amari Earl