UAlbany Volleyball Sweeps Binghamton in Successful Dig Pink Match
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ALBANY, N.Y. – Donning its pink uniforms for the annual Dig Pink match, the UAlbany volleyball team swept Binghamton in three sets (25-12, 25-14, 25-17) for its fifth-consecutive victory.
UAlbany (11-8, 6-1 AE) held its annual Dig Pink match for the Side-Out Foundation, wearing pink uniforms and homemade warmup shirts with an outline of a ribbon to support the fight against breast cancer. The gym was decorated with pink balloons and ribbons, plus fans were greeted by pink pumpkins. Binghamton (5-17, 2-5 AE) also helped with the cause with all players wearing pink shoelaces.
“The kids did a lot of fundraising and promotion for this match,” said UAlbany coach MJ Engstrom. “The kids did a great job with everything, supporting the cause while still focusing on the match itself.”
UAlbany sweeps the season series against Binghamton after winning in five sets in Vestal back on September 25th. UAlbany hit .299 in the match, compared to Binghamton's .054, and finished with 13 blocks compared to the Bearcats' three.
“We held our focus pretty well tonight,” said Engstrom. “Binghamton has added some things into their offense since we last played, and we practiced to deal with the changes. Our middles did a great job across the net and our passing was much better than last we played them.”
Shannon Hurley led the UAlbany front row offense, hitting .435 with 12 kills. Tatum Jungsten hit .545 with six kill and five blocks while Amanda Dolan hit .357, earning six kills and seven blocks. Nicole Otero earned 16 digs at libero, adding three assists and an ace.
“We kept our focus, and we knew what to do,” said Otero. “I kept looking for the cross-court attacks and made sure to get good passes off them.”
For Binghamton, Gabby Alicea nearly got a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs. The setter, Sarah Ngo, did pick up a double-double with 21 assists, 10 digs and four kills.
Mikala McCauley served UAlbany through a first set opening 4-0 run, including an ace. After two Binghamton points, a service error sent Gabrielle Hansen back to serve. Hansen served the Great Danes for a 6-0 run, including kills from four different players, for an 11-2 UAlbany lead. Later, Laini Leindecker notched a kill and an ace, as did Jungsten, adding a Hurley ace, to make the score 18-7. UAlbany kept control and ended the set with a 3-0 run, capped by a block and kill by Leindecker, for a 25-12 set one victory.
Following a Megan Burgess kill, UAlbany grabbed five of the next six points, including Chloe Lamb with a block and kill, for a 5-2 home team advantage. At 7-4, UAlbany got four in a row off Leindecker's serving for an 11-4 score. The front row kept earning the points with kills and blocks. A Hurley kill, McCauley ace and a Dolan-Lamb combo block put UAlbany up 15-6. The two sides kept exchanging as UAlbany maintained a strong lead. Kills from Hurley and Leindecker finished the set as UAlbany won game two 25-14 to lead 2-0 in the match.
Ngo picked up the first two kills as Binghamton began set three with a 3-0 run, later leading 4-1. Otero served UAlbany through a 3-0 run, then Paula Pinto put it in the lead with a 4-0 run on serving to send the Great Danes ahead 8-5. The Bearcats got two points, then UAlbany knocked down three-consecutive attacks, sparked by two from Jungsten, for an 11-7 lead. The game stayed relatively close as Alicea and Dolan were exchanging kills. At 19-15, two Dolan blocks and a Hurley kill helped UAlbany take four of five points. A Hansen ace finished off the Bearcats as UAlbany won set three 25-17 and the match 3-0.
UAlbany has the rest of the weekend off and will hit the road for its next match, taking on Hartford on Friday, October 30th at 7 p.m.
