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The High Point University volleyball team swept Liberty 3-0 to win the 2010 Big South Conference Championship. It was HPU's first ever appearance in the championship match. Senior outside hitter Audie Gonzalez had a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs to earn MVP honors.

The Panthers upset No. 1 seed Liberty 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-23) at the Winthrop Coliseum Saturday in Rock Hill, S.C. Senior captain Megan Smith led the match with 14 kills, adding five digs in the win while freshman setter Maddie Simpson had 33 assists, seven digs and three blocks. Smith, Simpson and Gonzalez were all named to the 2010 Big South All-Tournament team.

“Our five seniors played their hearts out,” said head coach Jason Oliver. “We played with heart, focus and determination and it delivered a championship. Liberty left it all on the floor and I give them a ton of credit.”

Liberty jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the final set but the Panthers were able to side out on a kill by Gonzalez. The Panthers battled back to tie the set 13-13 and took the lead on a Liberty attack error. The Panthers hung on to the lead for the duration of the match. Smith put down a kill to bring HPU to set point, 24-22. Lillie Happel fought off one set point for the Flames but Smith sealed the match with her 14th kill of the day.

“I am speechless right now,” Gonzalez said. “This is the moment I have been working for the last five years and I couldn't have asked for a better way to go out.”

The Panthers took a 10-7 lead early in the first set, going on a five point run with Breanna Holliday at the service line. The sophomore had two aces and freshman Michelle Chakirelis had two kills in the run. Liberty was forced to use a timeout but HPU came out after the break and Chakirelis and Simpson put up a block on Loren Thomas to extend HPU's lead to 11-7.

The Flames closed HPU's lead to one point at 13-12 on an attack error by Gonzalez. Liberty would stay within two points until the end of the set when the Panthers took a 23-19 on a kill by Courtney Johnk. Two plays later a kill by Gonzalez brought up set point 24-20. The Flames got kills from Erica Manor and Karyl Bacon to close the lead to 24-22 before Gonzalez put the set away with her fourth kill of the day.

Despite a late run that tied the second set at 24-24 the Panthers pulled out a win in the frame, 26-24. HPU led by five at 24-19 but the Flames fought off five set points to tie the match at 24-24. The Panthers made five errors during the Liberty run. Bacon made a service error for the Flames to give HPU the 25-24 advantage and Johnk and Chakirelis came up with a block on a Lillie Happel attack to win the set 26-24. Stephanie Wallin had three kills and three blocks in the set and Smith had seven kills.

Wallin finished the match with five kills and four blocks and Chakirelis added six kills and three blocks. Julie Hershkowitz had eight digs in the match and Johnk had three kills and three blocks.

High Point advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Panthers will find out who they face on Nov. 28.