Springfield, Mass. - Despite an advantage in blocks, the Adelphi University volleyball team suffered a five-set loss to the defending East Region Champions American International College Saturday afternoon. 

The Panthers (7-9, 3-1 NE10) fought back from a 2-1 deficit to force a fifth set, but ultimately fell to the hosting Yellow Jackets (12-8, 4-1 NE10). Madison Canestrari and Cara McKenzie were the lone members of Adelphi to reach double-digit kills, posting 13 and 11, respectively. Megan Manierski finished the match with 34 assists as three defenders accounted for double-figure digs. 

The Brown and Gold commanded an early lead in the opening set, using a 5-2 run to move ahead to an 11-7 lead. Canestrari and Victoria Cast teamed up at the net to maintain the lead with back-to-back blocks and both used timely hitting to secure the first set win. American International came back with vengeance in the second and third sets to take an advantage in the match, using team hitting percentages over .300 in both sets. 

Momentum quickly shifted in the fourth, as the Panthers started out with an 8-2 run bookmarked with kills from Rebecca Seeba and Canestrari. Kills from McKenzie and several errors from the AIC side extended the Adelphi lead. The team kept rolling and led by 11 at one time, however an 11-1 run in favor of the home team brought the set back to nearly even. With four of the last six points, however, AU closed out the win to force a fifth set. 

The home team forced an early visitor timeout, after they ran out to a 6-2 lead. A few bad sets and attack errors from the Yellow Jackets gave Adelphi the opportunity to come within one, however the Panthers committed a few errors of their own down the stretch which enabled the hosts to push ahead at 13-9. The Brown and Gold hung on with a 4-1 run, but the final kill from game-leader in kills Annie Boele shut the door on the NE10 matchup.

The team returns to action on Tuesday, October 10 when they host Pace University in Northeast-10 competition. Prior to the contest, the athletic department is partnering with the office of Residential Life to host an indoor tailgate in the atrium of the CRS. 

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About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past eight seasons, has collected 23 regular season conference titles, 25 tournament championships, 33 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.

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