UAlbany Captures their Seventh Championship and First Since 2011
ALBANY, N.Y. – For the first time since 2011, UAlbany is the America East Volleyball Champion. The top-seeded Great Danes outlasted No. 3 Hartford in five sets on Saturday to claim the title.
Top-seeded UAlbany jumped out to a 16-6 lead and held on to their lead to win the first set, 25-16. After dropping the next two sets, 25-21 and 25-21, the Great Danes won the fourth set, 25-15, forcing a fifth and final set in front of a loud home crowd at UAlbany's University Gym. The Great Danes went on an 8-0 run to take a 9-3 lead in the fifth set which helped them to a 15-12 victory to win their seventh #AEVB title.
UAlbany senior Akuabata Okenwa was named Most Outstanding Player. Okenwa totaled 32 kills over the course of two matches, a team-high 16 of which came in both the semifinal and the title match.
Jenna Bridges recorded a game-high 25 kills and had a total of 52 kills over the course of two matches and was also named to the All-Championship Team along with teammate Abby Nash. UAlbany senior Akuabata Okenwa had a team-high 16 kills and is joined by teammates Charlotte Macken and Danielle Tedesco to be named to the All-Championship Team.
Stony Brook's Maria Poole and New Hampshire's Abby Sullivan were also named to the All-Championship Team.
UAlbany senior Chloe Evering received the Elite 18 Award. Evering carries a 3.99 GPA in biology.
The Great Danes won their 11th regular season title in program history. They clinched the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament with Saturday's win and will find out their next opponent on the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, December 1 at 8:30pm on ESPNU.
For box scores, highlights and recaps from the 2019 #AEVB Championship, visit Championship Central.
2019 America East Volleyball Championship
At University at Albany's University Gym
Semifinals – Friday, November 22
#2 New Hampshire 2, #3 Hartford 3
#1 UAlbany 3, #4 Stony Brook 1
Championship Game – Saturday, November 23
#3 Hartford 2, #1 UAlbany 3
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