UAlbany Volleyball Advances To America East Championship Final

Albany, N.Y. -- Cate Eckhardt had 15 kills and added 10 digs as top seed UAlbany fought off Maine, 3-1, in the semifinal round of the America East Conference Tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes, who won by scores of 20-25, 25-20, 28-26 and 25-20, will meet Binghamton for the championship and NCAA berth on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Maine took a commanding 18-13 lead in the third set, but UAlbany (21-8) clawed its way back into the match with six of the next seven points. Hillary White recorded a two-handed block of Lindsay Allman’s hitting attempt and then blasted a kill to tie the contest at 19 apiece. The set seesawed with seven ties over the next 14 points. Eckert, a junior outside hitter, broke the deadlock when she rifled a cross-court kill inside the right sideline. A kill attempt by the Black Bears went wide, and UAlbany took the set, 28-26.

The Black Bears, who lost twice in three sets to UAlbany during the regular season, led 15-13 in the fourth frame when Allman, a first-team all-conference selection, delivered one of her 15 kills. But the Great Danes regrouped with five unanswered points to go in front for good. Eckhardt, who posted her second double-double of the season, put her team ahead with back-to-back kills, including one off a service return. White ended that run with kill off a blocker from the middle of the floor. Amanda Cowdrey, a first-team all-league outside hitter, finished off the semifinal victory with a blast down the left sideline.

“They came to play,” said Eckhardt, whose squad won the regular-season crown and became the third team since 1998 to go undefeated in conference play. “We have had a target on us all year. (Setter) Brooke Stanley and I come early to practice every day. She gave me some great opportunities.”

The two teams split the opening two sets. The Black Bears snapped a 17-17 tie with four straight points in the first. Laura Goettsch, a 6-foot-3 senior, converted a service ace to complete that stretch. Goettsch, who led her club with 17 kills and 21 digs, helped Maine close out the first set, 25-20.

UAlbany held a slim 19-18 advantage in the second stanza, but then pulled away with five of the next six points. Kamisha Kellam, the America East player of the year, had three kills in that outburst. She scored with a two-handed stuff at the net and followed with a kill off a quick set. The senior totaled 13 kills and three blocks in the match.

“Nothing is going to come easy,” said Kellam, whose team will play for its third consecutive conference tournament championship. “They want to beat us and are going to bring their best. We made mistakes, but you have to shake that off quickly because these sets are over quickly. It certainly was a wake-up call. We just have to talk to each other and keep communicating.”

Cowdrey finished with 13 kills and 11 digs for the Great Danes, who extended their winning streak to 15 straight matches and have not lost since Sept. 27. Maine (14-12) had won seven of its previous nine contests coming into the semifinal.

Michelle McDonough had 21 kills and 11 digs in the first semifinal of the day. Binghamton (16-14) defeated UMBC in five sets, including 15-10 in the deciding frame.