The Muhlenberg volleyball team cruised into the championship bracket of the 17th Buttermaker Tournament with three-set sweeps of FDU-Florham and Rutgers-Camden.

The tournament was set up so that the three Lehigh Valley schools could have squared off for the championship, but instead of the closest teams, it will be the teams from the farthest away that the Mules will have to contend with.

Muhlenberg (5-1) will face Allegheny (5-1), which defeated Moravian in Pool B, and Shenandoah (6-0), a victor over DeSales in Pool C, on Saturday as it seeks its first title since 2005.

The Mules were barely challenged in their two matches as they improved to 5-1 for the second time in three years. Junior Katherine Boll led a balanced attack with nine kills against FDU-Florham, while senior Holly Hynson added eight in only 12 attempts.

Senior Nikki Dickson (18 assists) and junior Vanessa Pulice (16) directed an attack that hit .320, while junior Chelsea Kaser served four aces, including three in a 7-0 run in the first set.

After winning the first set against Rutgers-Camden, 25-12, Muhlenberg substituted and let its younger players enjoy their first extended action in the final two sets. All four freshmen on the team recorded at least one kill as the Mules looked just as strong, winning the final two sets 25-13 and 25-15.

Boll had three service aces to go along with four blocks, while junior Joanne Josephson and sophomore Allison Glass (pictured above) knocked down six kills apiece for an offense that hit over .300 (.319) again. Sophomore Elizabeth Garrison donned the libero shirt for the third set and finished with a team-leading eight digs.