DURHAM, N.H. – The UAlbany volleyball team was defeated by New Hampshire in three sets (12-25, 15-25, 12-25) in Durham on Friday night.
With the match result, UAlbany (15-9, 9-3 AE) will be the 2-seed in the upcoming America East Tournament, facing 3-seed UMBC on Friday, November 18th at 4 p.m. at 1-seed New Hampshire (18-10, 9-2 AE).
“We were not able to adjust to the things that were coming,” said UAlbany head coach MJ Engstrom. “We just were not ready tonight.”
UAlbany can still earn a share of the America East regular season title in New Hampshire falls to Binghamton on Sunday afternoon.
Laini Leindecker had a team-high seven kills, adding six digs. Nicole Otero had 17 digs while Akuabata Okenwa notched five kills.
Emily Tanski compiled 10 kills, eight digs and four blocks for UNH with Dumi Muses had nine kills and 14 digs.
In set one, two kills and two blocks got UNH to start up 4-0. Kills from Okenwa and Taylor Robinson helped UAlbany get to within three at 6-3. Kennedi Smith got two kills to spark a home team 6-0 run to make it 12-3 UNH, later leading 18-4. UAlbany managed a 3-0 run off Emily Zimmerman's serving, but the team could not get close and fell in set one 25-12.
UAlbany took an early 4-3 lead off a Chloe Evering kill in set two. Down 5-4, Amanda Dolan began a 3-0 run with two kills for a 7-5 advantage. UNH got seven of the next nine to go up 12-9. Leindecker got an ace to get UAlbany within one at 12-11, but a 5-0 UNH run put the Wildcats up 17-11. UAlbany could not win back-to-back points again and fell 25-15.
Down 5-3 early, Evering buried two kills on a 4-0 run to send the Great Danes up 7-5 in game three. UNH put together a 5-0 run and a 6-0 run for a 16-8 advantage. Including kills from three different players, UAlbany looked to come back, pulling to within six at 18-12. Sara Carlson served UNH the rest of the way for a 25-12 set win and 3-0 match victory for the Wildcats.
