University of Albany Volleyball Closes Out Regular Season with 3-0 Sweep of Hartford on Senior Day - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Brooke Stanley recorded 29 assists, six digs, two kills and two service aces to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Hartford to close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon at University Gymnasium. Stanley, along with classmates Casey Wright, Laurie Gonzalez and Abbey Wexel were honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the match. The Great Danes defeated Hartford with set scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-18.

The teams played a close start to the first set, with Hartford taking a 12-8 advantage on a kill by Michelle Cordell before building a five-point lead on a UAlbany attack error. However, the Great Danes battled back, and tied the match at 15-15 on a kill by Traci Vandegrift, before pulling ahead, 18-15, on a service ace by Gabby Whitworth. A Stanley kill gave UAlbany a 21-17 advantage, prompting Hartford to take a timeout. UAlbany got to set point on a kill by Samantha Brostrom, before Whitworth smacked a kill off a Stanley assist to end the first set.

UAlbany came out firing in the second set, building up a 10-4 advantage behind the service game of Wexel, who recorded three consecutive aces in five service attempts. An ace by Dunja Prgomet gave the Great Danes a 14-4 advantage and UAlbany continued to roll from there. Despite an attempt by Hartford to rally in the late goings, which included a block by Sareeta Nethersole and Lindsay Anderson, the Hawks could not come all the way back. The Great Danes got to set point on a Prgomet kill and took a 2-0 lead on a Hartford attack error.

Whitworth got things going for UAlbany in the third set, serving for nine straight points, including an ace, giving the Great Danes an early 11-2 lead. One of Wright's ten kills put UAlbany ahead, 13-4, and Hartford took a timeout to regroup. UAlbany would not give the Hawks a chance, however, as Natalee Gruse came into serve and posted two aces in six service attempts, putting the Great Danes ahead, 22-9. UAlbany got to match point on one of Whitworth's three aces, but Hartford got a kill from Nethersole and put Michelle Cordell behind the service line. The Hawks rattled off seven straight points before Wright finished off the match with a kill up the middle.

Brostrom and Whitworth each finished with six kills for the Great Danes, who hit .237 for the match. Laurie Gonzalez totaled a team-high eight digs, and also served up one of UAlbany's 12 aces in the match. Nethersole recorded a match-high 13 kills for Hartford (12-18, AE 3-9), while Cordell totaled 13 digs and seven kills. UAlbany out-blocked the Hawks, 7-3, holding Hartford to .139 hitting.

UAlbany (19-8, AE 11-1) will host the America East Conference Championship Tournament on Friday and Saturday. Final seeding and times are to be determined.