PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team saw its season end with a 3-0 loss to top-seeded Chatham Universitty in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Semifinals. 

The Cougars earned the victory via set scores of 25-17, 25-19, 25-20. 

W&J finishes the 2023 season with a 14-14 overall record. The Presidents were aiming to make its first appearance in the PAC Championship match since 2006.

Chatham, the PAC's top seed for the first time, advances to the finals. The Cougars will host the defending PAC champion Bethany College in Saturday's title tilt. 

Serve receive plagued the Presidents in the opening set. Chatham was able to record six service aces in the opening set. W&J had five five leads during the opening set. Back-to-back kills by sophomore outside hitter Faith Fetsko (South Park, Pa./South Park) followed by an attack error by Chatham gave W&J a 9-8 lead. Kills by Fetsko and Carmichael made it 11-10 in favor of the Red and Black.

The Cougars took the lead and control with seven of the next eight points. W&J was able to counter with four of the next eight points to trim the deficit to 18-16 after back-to-back kills by freshman Kamryn Conners (St. Clairsville, Ohio/Wheeling Central Catholic). Chatham closed the first with seven of the final eight points. 

W&J held early leads again in the second set. The Presidents led five times including by a 12-11 margin after an ace by Conners.

Chatham recorded seven of the next eight points to pull in front by a 18-13 score. Chatham was able to maintain its lead throughout the remainder of the set. 

The Presidents led five times in the third. A kill by junior setter Adrianna Sacramento (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) made it 9-7 Presidents. Chatham was able to use a run to build another lead. Three-straight points brought the Presidents within one point at 15-14 following an ace by Conners and a kill by Fetsko. The Cougars continued to string together points to finish off the sweep. 

Fetsko finished with nine kills to pace the Presidents. 

After a 30-dig effort in W&J's four-set win in the quarterfinals Tuesday, sophomore libero Piper McFarland (West Mifflin, Pa./Cornerstone Preparatory Academy) added a team-high 11 digs Thursday.

The future is bright for the Presidents, who have continued to climb up the ranks of the PAC under second-year head coach Lindsey Llewellyn. After finishing with just three wins in 2021, W&J has recorded double-digit win seasons in back-to-back years. The Presidents advanced to the semifinals after being chosen ninth in the PAC preseason poll.

W&J will lose Carmichael to graduation. Carmichael, a three-time All-PAC honoree, finished a strong career with 736 kills and 236 blocks.