CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — The Thiel women's volleyball team will begin play in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships tonight at 8 p.m. with a semifinal match against Westminster at Thomas More College.

The Tomcats enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed and advanced to the semifinals with a first-round bye while the third-seeded Titans made their way to the semifinals with a 3-2 win over sixth-seeded Washington & Jefferson on Tuesday.

This is the third meeting this season between the two teams. The Tomcats (21-11 overall, 13-3 PAC) lost to Westminster 3-2 at home but turned in a dominant 3-0 win over the Titans on the road. It was the first win in program history at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.

Thiel returns five all-conference players from last year's squad that turned in a runner-up finish. Senior Madison Chylik (Valley View, Ohio, Cuyahoga Heights), a first team selection last season, became the school's all-time leader in assists this year and enters postseason play fifth in the conference, averaging 9.04 per game.

Sophomore Kelly Barzak (Warren, Ohio, Howland) and junior Megan Kay (Girard, Ohio, Liberty) made the second team last year and have continued to play well this season. Barzak has an incredible hitting percentage of .414 which leads the nation in Division III, and is second in the conference in blocks. Kay is second on the team in kills with 289 and is second to only Barzak all-time in hitting percentage at Thiel.

Senior Stephanie Shipley (Mentor, Ohio, Mentor) and sophomore Alyssa Chine (North Jackson, Ohio, Jackson-Milton ) were third teamers for the Tomcats. Shipley was Thiel's record holder in digs before her senior year even started and is ninth in that category in the conference this season. Chine is third on the team in kills.

Freshman Jenna Samsa (Rittman, Ohio/Wadsworth) will make her first appearance in the conference tournament after stepping in and making an immediate impact for the Tomcats this season. She finished the regular season fifth in the PAC in digs.

Leading the way for the Titans is Lindsay Speidel, who is second in the conference in both hitting percentage and kills and fourth in blocks. Jessie Szakacs ranks fourth in the PAC in blocks.

The other semifinal matchup features top-seeded and last year's champion Thomas More against fourth-seeded Saint Vincent, which topped fifth-seeded Bethany in the quarterfinals.

The championship match will be held at Thomas More on Sunday at 4 p.m. Live stats from the tournament can be seen here.