University of Albany Seals Up America East Regular-Season Volleyball Title With 3-2 Win Over New Hampshire - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Brooke Stanley recorded a double-double of 49 assists and 21 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-2 win over New Hampshire in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday night at University Gymnasium. With the victory, UAlbany sealed up the America East regular-season title, and will host the league championship tournament next weekend. The Great Danes defeated the Wildcats with set scores of 26-24, 22-25, 25-12, 29-27 and 15-10.

It took extra points in the first set, but UAlbany came out on top behind four kills by Dunja Prgomet. After a back-and-forth start, the Great Danes finally took control on a kill by Samantha Brostrom at 13-10. Stanley then served for three points, getting blocks from Brostrom and Gabby Whitworth to pull ahead 16-10. However, New Hampshire would rally back from the deficit to tie the set at 22-all on a kill by Delaney Dameron. The teams exchanged points, with UAlbany getting the first set point after a Wildcat service error. Morgan Thatcher kept the match going for New Hampshire, but another service error gave the Great Danes set point once again, and Prgomet ended it with a kill.

After UAlbany jumped out to an early lead in the second set, New Hampshire came back to tie the score at 8-8 on a kill by Lauren Laquerre. UAlbany built up a 14-10 advantage with a service ace by Stanley, prompting New Hampshire to take a timeout. The Wildcats came back, using one of seven kills in the set by Amy Keding to tie the score at 20-20. Once again, the teams exchanged points, but Laquerre gave New Hampshire set point with a kill, and the Wildcats ended the set with a strong attack by Morgan Thatcher.

UAlbany rolled through the third set, as Brostrom served for four straight points to give the Great Danes a 7-4 advantage, getting a block from Whitworth and Traci Vandegrift on that point. Casey Wright put up a solo block on a Wildcat attack to give the UAlbany a 10-6 advantage, and Abbey Wexel took over the service game. The senior served for nine consecutive points, giving the Great Danes an insurmountable 19-6 lead. One of Brostrom's three kills in the set gave UAlbany set point, and the Great Danes took a 2-1 match lead on a kill by Whitworth.

New Hampshire would not go down without a fight, as they took the fourth set in extra points. The set was tied 13 times, but the Wildcats used nine kills from Keding to seal the win. Back-to-back kills by Laquerre gave New Hampshire set point, but a Wildcat service error followed by a kill by Prgomet extended the set. Brostrom gave UAlbany a chance to end things with a kill of her own at set point, but Keding responded to tie the score at 27-27. New Hampshire took advantage of consecutive UAlbany attack errors to pull out the set win.

New Hampshire took an early lead in the fifth and decisive set, getting ahead, 8-5, on a UAlbany error. After the teams switched sides, a Wildcat service error put the ball in Laurie Gonzalez's hands behind the service line. The senior libero served for four straight points, including two aces, to give UAlbany a 10-8 lead. Back-to-back kills by Keding tied the set back up at 10-10, but the Great Danes rallied, getting three kills from Prgomet, along with two New Hampshire attack errors to seal up the victory.

Prgomet finished with 19 kills and 12 digs, while Brostrom also completed a double-double of 16 kills and 16 digs. Wright was the third UAlbany player in double-digit kill totals with 14, while Gonzalez led the Great Danes defensively with 26 digs. Stanley, who also had one solo block, was just one off her career high digs total. UAlbany out-blocked New Hampshire, 10-5, getting multiple four blocks from both Vandegrift and Whitworth.

Keding led the Wildcats with 23 kills, while also recording 14 digs. Laquerre added 15 kills while Thatcher finished with 10. Libero Sam Henke totaled a match-high 27 digs, while setter Jansan Falcusan recorded a double-double of 43 assists and 10 digs to lead New Hampshire (9-19, AE 7-4).

UAlbany (18-8, AE 10-1) will close out the regular season on Sunday, hosting Hartford at 2 p.m. The Great Danes will honor their four senior members prior to the match.