UAlbany Volleyball Ready for the America East Tournament
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DURHAM, N.H. – The Great Danes head back to Durham, New Hampshire to compete in the America East Tournament this weekend, looking to win their seventh conference championship and earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament.
UAlbany earned the 3-seed after going 9-5 in conference play, standing 9-18 overall. It will face 2-seed UMBC, which has a 9-5 conference tally and 18-11 overall record, on Friday in the semifinal round at 4 p.m. at the Lundholm Gymnasium. The Great Danes played UMBC in a pair of five-set matches this season, with the Retrievers winning each contest.
The winner will take on the victor of 4-seed Stony Brook, at 9-5 in- conference and 16-16 overall, and 1-seed and tournament host New Hampshire, at 12-2 in the league and 18-11 this season, in the America East Championship match on Saturday, November 22nd at 4 p.m. UAlbany is the last team to beat UNH, with a home sweep, as New Hampshire won in five at home to secure the 1-seed. UAlbany defeated Stony Brook twice in a combined seven sets, including a road sweep.
After falling in five sets to first place New Hampshire, UAlbany swept UMass Lowell to lock up the 3-seed in the America East Tournament last weekend. Tatum Jungsten hit .342 during the weekend, including .571 with nine kills in the win over UMass Lowell. Amy Hunter earned a career-high 18 kills against UNH, finishing with 24 on the week, while Samantha Brostrom and Mikala McCauley each earned double doubles in the UNH match.
UMBC earned its highest seeding in program history after finish- ing tied for second in the league. Senior outside hitter Ali Goc has 14 double doubles, leading the team with 304 kills with 412 digs. Redshirt sophomore middle Krystal Mlemchukwu is one of three league players with triple digit kills and blocks, with 259 kills and 103 blocks, while junior outside Hannah Schmidt has 268 kills, 280 digs and 33 aces. Into Friday, UMBC is first in the leage in kills, assists, blocks and opponent hitting percentage.
New Hampshire is hosting the America East Tournament for the first time since 2003 after leading the conference in hitting per- centage. The Wildcats have two of the top-4 players in kills per set in the league, including senior right side Morgan Thatcher, who has 315 kills and 75 blocks. Sophomore outside Troi For- rest stands with 324 kills and 279 digs, with senior right side Destiny Tolliver has 196 kills and 111 blocks.
At the 4-seed is in-state rival Stony Brook, which returns to the league tournament after missing it in 2012. The Seawolves lead the nation with 210 service aces, with 50 belonging to junior setter Hannah Dolan, who adds 958 assists. Leading the con- ference with 383 kills is senior outside Kaitlin Costello, who has 291 digs and 35 aces, while sophomore outside Melissa Rigo has 330 kills and 339 digs.
