Freshmen Battle But Fall in Twinbill in Carolina Classic
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UAlbany volleyball team fell in a pair of matches to George Washington (16-25, 23-25, 17-25) and #18 North Carolina (13-25, 10-25, 14-25) to finish the Carolina Classic on Saturday.
After the tournament concluded, Amanda Dolan was named to the All-Tournament Team. It is her second All-Tournament Team this season.
“We saw action from many of our freshmen today, plus we saw Samantha Brostrom return,” says coach MJ Engstrom. “Both yesterday and today we had our chances to win some of our sets, but we continue to lack familiarity of those we are playing next t on the court. But our young players are getting quality time on the court against some very competitive teams.”
In the morning match against GW (4-5), Tatum Jungsten got UAlbany (0-9) going early with a couple of kills as the Great Danes led 3-2. The team kept a small lead early, with kills by Rebecca Rivera and Mikala McCauley kept UAlbany in front 10-8. GW went on a 9-0 run, including four Natalie Leger service aces, to go up 17-10. Getting off that run, a couple of Jungsten kills helped keep the deficit at seven. GW won four straight to go up 24-13. The Danes defended against set point three times, but fell in the set 25-16.
In a back-and-forth set two, after Dolan scored a kill, UAlbany found itself behind after a 6-0 GW run. UAlbany fought back, taking five of the next six points. At 9-7 GW, a McCauley kill helped spark UAlbany to win four of the next five to get an 11-10 advantage. A couple of Loren Williams kills helped GW take four of five to go back up 14-12. The Great Danes countered with a Jungsten kill, Brostrom kill, Olivia Schonewise ace, Jungsten kill and another Schonewise ace for a 17-14 UAlbany lead. Following an exchange of points, a GW 3-0 run tied it up at 18. A McCauley kill and Jungsten ace put the Great Danes up by two, then a Rachael Goss kill and UAlbany attack error tied it up at 20. Both sides exchanged points until UAlbany led 23-22. GW then got three consecutive kills to take the set 25-23 and go up 2-0 in the match.
UAlbany led 3-1 on the outset of game three, but GW took four of the next five. At 6-6, Jungsten earned a kill and an ace to spark a 4-0 to push UAlbany up 10-6. But the Great Danes did not win back-to-back points again in the set. The Colonials won seven of the next nine to go up 16-14. A Rivera dump kill got the Danes back within one, but three straight GW points made it 19-15. UAlbany tried to recover after a GW service error, but a 5-0 Colonials run sealed the set to GW. GW took the game 25-17 to sweep the match.
In the second match, UAlbany took on the tournament host, #18-ranked North Carolina (9-0). UNC got off to an 8-1 start in the first set, started by a trio of Leigh Andrew kills. At 10-3, a service error and Jungsten kill brought UAlbany within five. The Tar Heels built their lead to nine at 14-5. The action went back-and-forth until at 17-8 UNC, Brostrom served through a 4-0 run to put UAlbany within five. But eight of the last nine points went to the home team to give UNC a 25-13 first set.
Set two saw UNC get the first nine points. UAlbany stopped the run and exchanged points, but UNC kept a large lead most of the way. The Great Dames defended set point twice, including a Rivera and Jungsten combo block, but the set went to UNC 25-10.
After a set three-opening Lauren Adkins kill, Dolan earned a kill to tie it up. The home team won the next five points for a 6-1 advantage. The Great Danes look to fight back and went back and forth with UNC, using kills from Leindecker and Dolan to get within four at 10-6. At 13-8, UNC went on a 4-0 run. UAlbany got two points back after a UNC attack error and Schonewise service ace. The Great Danes got back to back-and-forth play but could not make up ground, losing in the set 25-14 to fall in the match.
On the day, Dolan concluded with nine kills and three blocks, while McCauley and Leindecker each finished with eight kills.
The Great Danes will head back home until next weekend when they compete in the Penn State Classic in State College, taking on the tournament host on Friday at 7 p.m.
