Volleyball Drops Two Matches on Final Day of Kentucky Tournament

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Louisville, Ky. -- The University at Albany volleyball team dropped two matches on the final day of the University of Kentucky Tournament on Saturday. The Great Danes fell to Indiana, 3-1, early in the day before recording a 3-1 loss to the host Wildcats in the tournament finale. Indiana posted scores of 21-25, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-9 to claim the victory in the first match while Kentucky won the four-set second match with scores of 25-20, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-22.

Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Cowdrey recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 13 digs against Indiana to lead the Great Danes against Indiana. Classmate Valerie Sourbeer added 15 kills, while sophomore setter Brooke Stanley had a double-double of her own with a match-high 48 assists and 11 digs. Freshman libero Laurie Gonzalez posted a match-high 19 digs to lead UAlbany defensively.

Indiana (5-3) was paced by senior middle blocker Erica Short, who recorded 16 kills, 11 digs and three block assists. Sophomore middle blocker Ashley Benson added 13 kills and finished with a match-high seven total blocks. Freshman defensive specialist Caitlin Cox led the Hoosiers defensively with 14 digs and added one service ace.

Cowdrey also led UAlbany against Kentucky (9-2), finishing with a match-high 16 digs for the second-straight match. Sourbeer finished with 12 kills, while Gonzalez finished with a career-high 24 digs defensively for the Great Danes. Both Cowdrey and Stanley were one dig shy of their second-consecutive double-doubles, with both players tallying nine digs. Stanley finished with 38 assists.

Sophomore middle blocker Lauren Rapp and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Mendoza led Kentucky offensively and defensively, both recording double-doubles, notching 14 and 11 kills, along with 10 and 13 digs, respectively. Junior setter Sarah Rumely also had a double-double with 42 assists and 12 digs, while junior libero led the Wildcats defensively with 28 digs.

UAlbany (4-5) will return to action on September 19, as the Great Danes compete at the Michigan/adidas Invitational. UAlbany will face Arizona State on Friday and face the host Wolverines and Western Kentucky on Saturday.

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Indiana (5-3) def. UAlbany, 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-9)

Kentucky (9-2) def. UAlbany (4-5), 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22)