UAlbany Volleyball Sweeps Hartford in America East Conference Action

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Senior middle blocker Kamisha Kellam recorded a team-high 11 kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Hartford in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes defeated the Hawks with scores of 25-13, 25-14 and 25-15.

UAlbany came out firing in the first set, scoring the first three points. The Great Danes built up a 9-4 advantage on a kill by Valerie Sourbeer that gave UAlbany back the serve. Junior Cate Eckhardt then served for six straight points to put the Great Danes ahead, 15-4. A block assist by Lindsay Makowicki and Hallie Fullagar combined with a UAlbany attack error pulled the Hawks back within 15-7, but sophomore outside hitter Amanda Cowdrey smashed a kill to give the Great Danes back the advantage. Hartford would pull within 20-10 on a kill by Lindsay Ford, but kills by Kellam and Sourbeer kept UAlbany ahead and a Hawk attacking error would end the first set in the Great Danes’ favor.

Freshman libero Laurie Gonzalez started the second set behind the service line for UAlbany, serving for the set’s first two points. After Hartford took a 3-2 lead on a UAlbany attack error, the Great Danes induced a Hartford attack error to put the ball in the hands of freshman Abbey Wexel. Wexel served for five straight points to put UAlbany ahead, 8-3. Sourbeer recorded back-to-back kills to give UAlbany a 12-7 advantage, and the Great Danes continued to build their lead from there. Cowdrey served for three straight points to put UAlbany up by ten, 22-12. After a UAlbany attack error put Hartford within 24-14, Stanley converted a dump set to seal the win.

The Great Danes jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the final set as Kellam recorded the first three kills of the stanza, before a kill by Hartford Erin Macro ended the early rally. Kellam added a solo block on Hartford’s next attack attempt and Stanley recorded another kill to put UAlbany up, 7-1. The Hawks would pull within two at 8-6 on a kill by Fullagar but UAlbany would take off again, as a kill by Casey Wright put the Great Danes up, 12-8. Teresa Coppiellie would take over the service game for UAlbany, producing the match’s next seven points, including three service aces, to put UAlbany ahead, 19-8. Hartford would attempt to rally with two service aces by Fullagar, followed by a UAlbany attack error, but a Coppiellie kill would give the ball back to UAlbany. Coppiellie would set up match point for the Great Danes with a solo block, and Cowdrey ended the match in UAlbany’s favor with a service ace.

Cowdrey and Sourbeer finished with eight kills apiece, while Stanley recorded a team-high 29 assists and seven digs. Wright led the team with five block assists and added five kills. Maddison Molyneux led Hartford (6-24, AE 0-11) with six kills. Fullagar had a team-high eight digs while Ford finished with 16 assists.

UAlbany (19-8, AE 11-0) will honor Kellam in a Senior Day ceremony on Sunday in the regular-season conference finale, as the Great Danes host Stony Brook at 1 p.m.

UAlbany (19-8, AE 11-0) def. Hartford (6-24, AE 0-11), 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-15).