2024 CNE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL BRACKET
BEVERLY, Mass. – Suffolk volleyball garnered the fourth seed in the upcoming 2024 Conference of New England Tournament as announced in the official tournament bracket released by the league late Saturday evening.
The Rams matched the highest seed in a conference postseason in program history, clinching the fourth seed for the first time since 2022. Suffolk's fourth consecutive CNE tourney appearance marks the Rams 18th playoff trip overall.
Suffolk, who reset the regular-season win mark with a 23-6 overall record, produced a 5-4 league ledger tied with Western New England and the University of New England. The Rams clinched the fourth seed behind tiebreaking policies as the blue-and-gold bested the Golden Bears (3-2) and the Nor'Easters (3-1) in the regular-season.
The blue-and-gold will play host to the first round Tuesday, Nov. 12 as fifth seed Western New England stops by Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court for a 7:00 p.m. first serve.
The Golden Bears locked up the fifth seed with a 5-4 league mark and a 20-7 overall record. WNE won the tiebreaker over UNE behind its 3-1 victory over the Nor'Easters Oct. 19.
In the regular-season, the blue-and-gold bested WNE in a thrilling five-set triumph in Beacon Hill Oct. 9, 2024. The all-time series between Suffolk and the Golden Bears started in 2003 and is level at 6-6. The blue-and-gold has been on a roll as of late versus Western New England, winning five in a row with an unblemished 5-0 mark in the series under Scott Blanchard's guidance and a 4-1 record at Smith Court.
In the postseason, the foes will tangle in the CNE tourney for the first time and the second time overall. The last and only conference tournament clash between the rivals came in the 2005 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Quarterfinals. That outing saw the fifth-seeded Golden Bears upset the fourth-seeded Rams in straight sets in Boston.
The Rams will remain on Beacon Hill for the fourth time overall in the conference tournament and first time since 2022. Suffolk sports a 2-1 record when hosting a league tournament match and is unbeaten, 2-0, in CNE postseason action in the basement of the Ridgeway Building.
The blue-and-gold looks to escape the first round and advance to the semifinals for the fifth time and third straight season. All of Suffolk's semifinal runs have come in the Blanchard era. Overall, the Rams are 4-5 in the Blanchard era in the postseason including a 2-3 CNE Tournament ledger.
The winner of Tuesday's tilt will advance to the semifinals Thursday, Nov. 14 at top-seeded and regular-season champ Endicott.
On the other side of the bracket, second seed Wentworth awaits the first round battle between third seed Roger Williams and sixth seed University of New England.
The CNE Champion will be determined at the highest remaining seed Saturday, Nov. 16 and earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament. will be crowned Saturday, Nov. 16 at the highest remaining seed.
2024 CNE WOMEN'S VOLELYBALL TOURNAMENT
First Round - Tuesday, November 12
Match 1: No. 5 WNE at No. 4 Suffolk - 7:00 p.m.
Match 2: No. 6 UNE at No. 3 RWU - 7:00 p.m.
Semifinals - Thursday, Nov. 14
Match 3: Winner of Match 1 at No. 1 Endicott - 7:00pm
Match 4: Winner of Match 2 at No. 2 Wentworth - 7:00pm
Championship - Saturday, Nov. 16
Match 5: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4 – Hosted by Highest Remaining Seed