ALBANY, N.Y. ? Top-seeded University at Albany used the greatest comeback in conference history to defeat UMBC 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in the title match of the 2006 America East Championship at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes fell into an 0-2 hole to the third-seeded Retrievers, but then won the next three games to earn the league crown and the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Complete Boxscore (PDF)
The Great Danes, who earn their second title in program history and the second in the last three years, will learn their NCAA first round destination on Sunday, November 26 at 2:30 p.m. as the selection show airs live on ESPNews.
Making their first appearance in the four-team league tournament, the UMBC Retrievers came out poised and prepared to play the role of spoiler. The Retrievers took the first two games, 30-27 and 30-22, and led the third game, 22-16, before the Albany rally began.
Just eight points away from elimination, the Great Danes dug down to pull off the greatest comeback in America East Championship history. Albany closed out game three on a 14-4 run, winning 30-26. The third-game win sparked the Great Danes, who took game four 30-18, forcing a fifth and final game to decide the conference title.
With UMBC leading 5-4 in the fifth game, Albany reeled off five-straight points to take a commanding 9-5 lead. The teams would then trade points the rest of the way as the Great Danes took the game, 15-12, and the match, 3-2.
The contest marks just the third-time in league history that the title match went the distance, with it last happening in 2004 when Albany downed Maine 3-2 to win its first conference title.
Albany’s Ashley DeNeal recorded 13 kills and a career-high 37 digs enroute to being named the Most Outstanding Player. DeNeal was joined on the All-Championship Team by teammates Shelby Goldman and Kamisha Kellam, UMBC’s Kira Giles and Sarah Ball, Binghamton’s Megan Hoag and Stony Brook’s Morgan Sweany.
2006 America East Volleyball Championship
at University Gymnasium (Albany, N.Y.)
Saturday, November 18
Semifinal #1: at #1 Albany 3, #4 Stony Brook 1
Semifinal #2: #3 UMBC 3, #2 Binghamton 1
Sunday, November 19
Final: at #1 Albany 3, #3 UMBC 2
All Championship Team
Ashley DeNeal, Albany (Most Outstanding Player)
Shelby Goldman, Albany
Kamisha Kellam, Albany
Megan Hoag, Binghamton
Kira Giles, UMBC
Sarah Ball, UMBC
Morgan Sweany, Stony Brook