Rachel Hargrove from Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Julianna Spradlin from Gordon Lee and Sonoraville players Savannah Wilbanks and Emalie Hicks, from left, were honored as Georgia Volleyball Coaches’ Association all-state players for 2015.After falling 4-3 in penalty-kick shootouts in their conference tournaments this past weekend, the Lee University and Sewanee women’s soccer teams received invitations Monday to their NCAA national tournaments. Lee (11-4-4) will be returning to Florence, Ala., for a Division II South Region match Friday at 9 p.m. EST against Tampa (10-4-5), with the winner playing host North Alabama (15-2-2) on Sunday. “The girls are ecstatic,” first-year Lee coach Chris Hennessey said in a school release. “We are just happy we get to play and compete with the best teams in the nation.” Also in the South Region are Barry, Nova Southeastern and West Florida. Sewanee (11-3-3) will be playing 19th-ranked Chicago (12-6) at Thomas More College in Crestview, Ky., in a Division III national opener at 1:30 p.m. EST Saturday. The eighth-ranked host Saints (17-0-2) will face USA South champion Piedmont (20-1-1) at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Division III nationals include 64 teams; the Division II field is 48.
* As the regular-season champion, Bryan College is hosting the Appalachian Athletic Conference men’s soccer tournament semifinals Wednesday and the championship match Friday. The Lions (12-4-2) will face fifth seed St. Andrews (9-7-1) at 4 p.m. Wednesday, followed at 7 by No. 2 seed Union College (14-1-4) against sixth-seeded Truett-McConnell (10-5-3). Friday’s final is set for 7 p.m. Tickets cost $5.
* The third annual Neighborhood Cup soccer tournament for teams of boys and girls ages 8-14 is set for Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Highland Park Commons. The park has three turf futsal fields. More than 150 players are expected.
Volleyball
‘ After winning the USA South championship, the Covenant College volleyball team will make the program’s first-ever appearance in an NCAA tournament Thursday, and the Lady Scots (19-12) don’t have to go far to do it. They will play at Berry College in a 5:30 p.m. match against Southern Athletic Association champion Hendrix (25-8), and the winner will play Berry or Thomas More on Friday in a Division III regional. Hendrix is seeded second behind Emory in the region, with Berry third and Covenant seventh.