STONY BROOK, N.Y.-- The top-seeded Seawolves captured a 3-1 (23-30, 30-21, 30-24,30-27) win over Binghamton in the first semifinal of the 2007 America East Volleyball Championship. Albany, the three seed defeated New Hampshire in the later semifinal, also by a 3-1 score (30-20, 32-30, 22-30, 30-17). The Seawolves (24-7, 11-1 America East) and the Great Danes (20-9, 8-4) will compete for the conference championship and an opportunity to represent the conference in the NCAA Championship.
In the first semifinal match, Binghamton earned the win in the first game, 30-23. The Seawolves made 10 errors and only nine kills to the Bearcats' 14 kills. Stony Brook stormed back to win the next three games, and the match, in handy form. Seniors Morgan Sweany and Jackie Ahlers each finished with 19 kills, while senior setter Kaitlyn Deutsch notched 52 assists. Senior Kathleen Schauer led the attack for the Bearcats, registering 12 kills.
Albany got out to an early 2-0 lead in the match before New Hampshire came back to win game three. Freshmen Amanda Cowdrey (16 kills, 16 digs) and Brooke Stanley (41 assists, 13 digs) each registered a double-double. New Hampshire sophomore Kirsten Bates tallied 15 kills and 17 digs, while senior Toni Barnas also recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs.
Albany is looking for back-to-back titles after winning the 2006 America East Volleyball Championship, while Stony Brook is seeking their first volleyball title since joining America East.