JOLIET, Ill. – The fourth-ranked Harper College volleyball team saw its season come to an end Saturday afternoon in Region IV postseason play. The #3 seed Hawks (32-14) lost in three sets to sixth-ranked (nationally) and #2 seed Rock Valley College in three sets (19-25, 20-25, 22-25) in the Region IV Semifinals.

"Rock Valley executed its game plan very well against us and prevented us from playing the way we have generally played all year," said Harper head coach Bob Vilsoet. "Rock Valley obviously also worked hard this year and should be congratulated. They did defeat a very strong Harper team."

Game one of the match started out close with early ties before the Golden Eagles (24-14) took a commanded 15-10 and then extended it to 23-13. The Hawks couldn't make up the deficit and fell 25-19. Libero Meghan Chartier (Inverness, Ill./Buffalo Grove) tallied nine digs, and Daniele Sortino (Elk Grove Village, Ill. /Elk Grove) and Lauren Sokolowski (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) each tallied two kills.

Harper started the second set with a lead of 8-4, but Rock Valley used a 10-1 run to take a commanding 14-9 lead. The Golden Eagles continued their steady play and won 25-20. Chartier had nine digs for the second straight set for Harper, and Sortino and Sokolowski led the offense again with three kills apiece.

Facing elimination, the Hawks held a 14-11 lead in the third set, but Rock Valley took the lead for good at 16-15 and won 25-22. Harper setter Lindsey Murphy (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Crystal Lake South) had six assists, setter Jillian Hoffman (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) had five assists, and Chartier added another five digs for a team-high 23 digs. Alyssia Dugo (Algonquin, Ill. /Jacobs) added six digs and was 6-of-6 serving with an ace. Sokolowski was 6-of-6 serving with two aces in the final set.

Libero Meghan Chartier (Inverness, Ill./Buffalo Grove) was named to the Region IV All-Tournament Team for her 23-dig performance in the Hawks' only postseason match. This marks the fifth All-Tournament Team award of 2014 for Chartier.

Rock Valley advanced to the Region IV Championship to face top seed Madison College. The WolfPack (27-3) advanced to the 2014 NJCAA DIII Volleyball Championship in Rochester, Minnesota with a straight-set victory over the Golden Eagles (25-22, 25-22, 25-18). Madison will attempt to defend its national title from 2013.

"We wish Madison College the best of luck attempting to win the national championship again for them and for our region at the National Championship tournament in Rochester in two weeks," Vilsoet said. "They truly deserved the chance to go from our region."