MIAMI - The University of New Orleans is just one match away from claiming an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after winning 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-19) over top-seeded Florida International on Friday night.
UNO will play Western Kentucky -- a 3-0 winner over Middle Tennessee in the semifinals -- in the 2 p.m CT championship match. The match will be televised on SBC Regonal Television, with a tape-delayed broadcast scheduled for 12 p.m. Sunday on Cox Sports Television.
Dobrilla Kovacevic led the way for UNO (22-9) with 19 kills as the Privateers clinched their second-ever conference tournament final appearance, the first since 2000.
Cassidy Asebroek had 29 assists for head coach Jozsef Forman's squad while Nicky Valenti led the defense with 12 digs. At the net, the Privateers tallied 11.5 blocks with Edina Dobi having a hand in six.
FIU (27-6) received a double-double performance with 10 kills and 10 digs from Isadora Rangel. Yarimar Rosa, the nation's leading attacker, who averages over six kills a set was held to just nine for the match with 10 errors in 37 attempts.
Natalia Valentin had a match-high 33 assists while Angelina Colon totaled 18 digs for the Golden Panthers.
In the opening stanza, the Privateers broke open a 6-6 tie by scoring 7 of 8 points to move into the driver's seat. The team would not relinquish the lead, extending it to a high of eight at 18-10.
The Golden Panthers closed within four at 23-19, before the Privateers scored the final two points of the frame, capped by a Kovacevic kill.
With the momentum on their side, UNO scored six straight points to open the second stanza highlighted by three Kovacevic kills. FIU climbed back into the set, going on a 14-6 run to tie the set. After the brief tie, the Privateers once more took control of the set, with 5 of 6 points to take a 19-15 lead.
As they had earlier in the set, the Golden Panthers made their way back and tied the scored at 21 and 22. Lindsey Loyd and Maria Szivos each had kills to pull away and gain a 25-23 victory to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
The third set saw the teams trade leads early, before UNO took control after an early 7-6 deficit. The Privateers scored 10 of 14 points and with it, a 16-11 lead. FIU pulled within three points at 20-17, but that was as close as they would get as a Kovacevic kill closed out the match with a 25-19 victory.
