The AU volleyball beat Colgate University at Bender Arena on Nov. 24 to regain the Patriot League championship title and secure its spot in the NCAA volleyball tournament.
The Eagles (32-2, 16-1, PL) swept the Raiders (22-9, 13-4, PL) for the second time this season, marking the Eagles’ 24th sweep this year.
Beating Colgate, who won the Patriot League championship after beating AU in the championship match last season, was a rewarding experience for the team.
“During my speech [to the team], I told all the girls, ‘I’m not going to hate it if you guys keep my career going!’” senior outside hitter Juliana Crum said. “I’m sure we all appreciate it and it’s a great feeling to be able to keep playing.”
As expected in a championship game, every set between Colgate and AU was an exciting one. AU was able to pull away early in the first set by earning an 8-5 lead on a kill by outside hitter Allison Cappellino and forcing a Colgate timeout. Though the Eagles were able to push their lead to 18-15, the Raiders came back and even regained the lead 22-21. AU returned the favor by notching four straight points and winning the first set 25-21.
The second set was the most contentious game of the match. Neither team led by more than three points. Any momentum gained by one team was quickly cut short by the other. Although the Eagles were able to push for a set point when they led 24-21, the Raiders fought and pushed the score to a 24-24 tie. The teams exchanged points, until AU took the second game 32-30 on a kill by senior middle blocker Morgan Hendrix.
AU came out after the break and dominated the third set. The Eagles quickly earned a 4-3 lead and maintained their advantage for the rest of the game. AU finished Colgate off 25-19 on a kill by Hendrix.
After the match, Crum was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Crum posted a double-double in the match with a game-high 15 kills and 10 digs.
Three AU players–Cappellino, Crum, and Smidova–were also recognized as three of the seven players on the first All-Patriot League Team.
AU will compete in the NCAA Championship tournament in December. With an excellent record behind them, the Eagles have high expectations for what they can accomplish.
“I have a really good feeling about this year,” Crum said. “Everyone’s really driven and really wants to win… I think we have a really good shot this year.”
The Eagles welcome the opportunity to extend their season and continue to improve on their game.
“We got better and better as the season went and we’re going to need to get better and better to beat some of these teams at the top,” head coach Barry Goldberg said. “We have a good challenge ahead of us this year and we’re excited for it.”
