Nov. 15, 2007

Box Score

Oakdale, NY - Women's Volleyball historic season comes to end in the NCAA Northeast Region quarter final match up against Bryant University, losing the match 3-2. The Panthers in their first ever trip to the NCAA tournament, held a 2-1 lead over the Bulldogs after game three, but were unable to close in game four and five.

The Panthers entered match one having already beaten the Bulldogs in regular season play in three games; however it would be a completely different Bryant team Adelphi would be up against. Bryant, who ended their season 30-12 and the Northeast-10 Conference champions, only lost two games after matching up against the Panthers.

The Bulldogs struck first in match one, but the score would move quickly to a three all tie when CoSIDA All-District Lauren Flanagan tallied Adelphi's first block of the game. Flanagan's block would ignite an offensive push against the Bulldogs, bringing the score to 5-4 lead. The Northeast Region rivals would battle back and forth, each gaining the lead, and then losing it. When it appeared Bryant was gaining momentum, Jennifer McKenna delivered the games first service ace, her 17th of the season, and brought the score back to 10 all. Violations let the match get out of the Panthers grasp, dropping the first match to Bulldogs, 30-22. Kathleen Carney led the Panthers with three kills on seven attempts, with Flanagan matching her three kills on 11 attempts

Having come off a conference championship and winning 15 out of their last 17, Bryant University held the clear momentum advantage into the match. Giving up game one to the Bulldogs, the Panthers found themselves in a must win situation at game two to keep the match within their grasp. Adelphi did just that, winning after a hard fought battle that saw 16 tie scores before the 31-29 final decision. The Panthers were the first to score this game on a hard hit by Kathleen Carney, however it would be Audrey Goss that would lead the Panthers offensive early to help set up the game two win. Goss scored on three key situations to bring the game back to a tie. Adelphi broke away slightly and brought the score to a 14-12 lead, their largest of the match thus far, but Bryant would not let it slip away. After going back and forth, miscommunication on Bryant's half, allowed the Panthers to take a slight lead at 23-21, but the score would still be tied when it reach 28. Goss came up again to revive the Panther offense with a kill to tie it at 29; Kelsey Hackett put the win in reach with a block for a point. Heather Mau sealed the win with a service ace, her second of the game.

With the match tied at one all, the Panthers entered game three needing to continue their pressure against the Bulldogs. The Panthers came striking first with two kills by Flanagan. Two serves later, Flanagan posted single block to put the Panthers up 4-1. Brittany Addeo added to Adelphi's offensive action, posting a kill of her own, bringing the score to 6-1, and the Panther's largest lead of the match. The Panthers maintained their offensive control, seeing two service aces from Flanagan and ECC All-Tournament selection, Amy Williams. It would be Carney to answer the Panthers call late in the match and move the score to 27-24. A block attempt on Bryant that went out of bounds put the game again with in the Panther's reach, and a dig by Mau - tip over by Hacket, sealed game three in Adelphi's favor, 30-26. Carney had seven out of the 18 kills posted by Adelphi, while Addeo tallied 13 assists.

Match four began with a lift call against the Bulldogs, putting Adelphi on the board first, but the Panthers would battle from behind most of the game losing the fourth game 30-21. Adelphi's offensive met a strong Bulldog defense, digging most of what was hit at them. Addeo earned 12 more assists and Carney led the Panthers will four kills, but a kill by Adrienne Boss put Bryant's win in the books and force game five.

A kill by Bryant and an attack error charged to Flanagan, had the Panthers forced to begin game five from behind. However, five plays later the Panthers were right back in it when Kathleen Creegan posted her first service ace of the game. Continuing their offensive push, the Panthers were first to force the game five - mid game switch, when Carney recorded a point off a defensive touch on Bryant. The Panthers jumped to an 11-8 lead, but Bryant continued the pressure and brought the score to a 12 all tie. A key dig by Williams set up an Adelphi point late in the match, but it would prove to be Adelphi's last of the game. A kill by Bryant's Morgan Wood ended game five 15-13 and Adelphi's first run at an NCAA title.

Despite the first round loss, Adelphi Women's Volleyball ends their season 27-8, far above their previous best finish of 20-14 set in 2004. In head coach Danielle MacKnight's first season, the Panthers set seven team records, and witnessed three individual records broken. Those team records include: Kills (1742), Kills average (13.79), Assists (1517), Assists Average (12.43), Most Wins (27), Best Winning Percentage (.794) and Longest Winning Streak (11). Seniors Flanagan and Addeo both set individual records - Flanagan in Blocks (343) and Addeo in Assists (4065) and Service Aces (232).