Box Score

West Haven, CT - The fourth ranked Adelphi University volleyball team faced off against host and #1 New Haven in the NCAA Division II East Regional Semifinals on Friday, November 18 in West Haven, Connecticut. The Panthers kept the action close in the early going of each of the three sets, but ultimately fell short, 25-18, 25-19 and 25-22. With the loss Adelphi closes out the season with a record of 23-8, the programs fifth straight 20+ win season.

Chelsea Overholt led the Panther offense with 11 kills, while Patawe Simms and Smantha Rico chipped in six each and Emily Dorko added five. Katie Bryson had 28 set assists to power the offense and Bianca Hernandez set the pace for the defense with eight digs, while Bree Popham chipped in six and Alexandra Kahen had five.

Adelphi and New Haven opened the first set by playing back and forth, but the Panthers held a 7-5 lead until five straight New Haven points reversed the advantage, giving the host Chargers a 10-7 edge. New Haven continued their offensive run and extended their lead to 15-9 just past halfway in the first game. The Chargers continued to lead by six late, 22-16 and put Adelphi in a 1-0 hole, 25-18.

Game two started just like game one, as a nip and tuck affair with the score knotted at 4-4, until Adelphi took a 7-4 lead with three straight points on Alexandra Kahen's serve, including a service ace. However, the Chargers responded with nine of the next 10 points to take a 13-8 lead midway through game two. The gap between Adelphi and New Haven widened as the match reached 20 points, with the Chargers on top, 20-14. The Brown and Gold would rally down the stretch of game two, but New Haven would match the Panther point for point to collect a 25-19 win.

New Haven came out quickly in game three, taking a 3-0 edge, but the Panthers responded with three scores of their, capped by a Bianca Hernandez service ace to lock the game at three. From there the two teams continued the familiar back and forth and the game stayed tight through the half way point, tied at 14. However, New Haven would score four of the next six points, taking a 18-16 lead. But, Adelphi kept clawing and snuck out to a one point lead, 21-20 on a Chelsea Overholt kill and New Haven immiediately responded with a 5-1 spurt to close out game three and the match 25-22.

Adelphi wrapped up one of it's most successful seasons in program history with a Northeast-10 Tournament Championship and the team's second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II East Regional Semifinal.