Springfield, Mass. - In a match that came down to crucial moments, the Adelphi University volleyball unfortunately dropped a four-set decision at American International College on Saturday, in its Northeast-10 Conference opener.
Brenna Valsted's stat line of 11 kills, 31 assists and 14 digs marks the first triple-double of her career - with kills and digs reaching season-highs. Noella Alberda led the offense with 14 kills and added five blocks to boot - helping Adelphi (6-8, 0-1 NE10) edge the Yellow Jackets (13-1, 2-0 NE10) nine to four in the specialty.
After an opening set that traded points all the way through, the Panthers were on the brink of stealing the first frame (24-22), but three consecutive service aces from AIC's Naomi Eckert gave the home team teh edge they needed to secure a 26-24 victory. The visitors once again held a lead in the early points of the second, but the Yellow Jackets consistently managed to stay in the game, and ultimately took a 2-0 lead in the match following a 25-21 victory.
Adelphi's best offensive effort was in the third when they used a .381 team hitting percentage to run away with a 25-16 win. AIC committed almost as many errors as they recorded kills, hitting below .100 as a result. Using a 14-2 run, the Brown and Gold closed out the third set to force a fourth frame.
Trailing again, the Panthers used a big stop at the net from
Lilyen McCarthy to make it 14-all, but the hosts scored seven of the ensuing eight points to put Adelphi back in a deficit.
Macarty McQueen sparked the offense, capping a five-point run with a pair of her own kills to once again bring the contest even at 21-21. A kill from Valsted on AIC's match point kept the Panthers alive, but a final miscue handed the Yellow Jackets the contest as they picked up their tenth straight win.
Adelphi will be back at the Center for Recreation and Sports on Tuesday, Sept. 27 when they host Pace University at 7:00 p.m. Both the volleyball and field hockey teams will be supporting Pride Awareness with t-shirts for sale for $25 each.
