WEST HAVEN, Connecticut - The No. 6-seeded American International College volleyball team won a tough battle with No. 3 LIU Post in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, November 30 to advance to the East Region semifinal.
FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: AIC 3, LIU Post 2 (25-22, 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 17-15)
RECORDS:AIC improves to 22-10 overall, while LIU Post concludes its season with a 28-6 record overall.
LOCATION: Charger Gym, West Haven, Connecticut
STAT LEADERS:
AIC:
Annie Boele: 20 kills, nine digs
Diva Rivas-Reyes: 16 kills
Jana Potic: 14 kills, 16 digs
Dolores Kopren: 57 assists, 16 digs
Mercy Rivera: 15 digs
Southern Connecticut:
Kristen Bendy: 18 kills
Rachel Londot: 14 kills, 20 digs
Danielle Valenza: 12 kills, 20 digs, six blocks
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Pioneers and Yellow Jackets were locked into the match from the very first serve. After the first 20 serves, AIC led 11-9 as neither team had more than a two-point lead early in the set.
- Tied at 21, the Yellow Jackets used two Pioneer attack errors and a kill by Annie Boele to take the 24-21 lead. The Pioneers stopped the AIC streak with a kill before Potic finished one to give AIC the lead after one.
- The two teams continued to battle in the second set as the Pioneers and Yellow Jackets were tied at 21-21 late in the set. An error by AIC and a kill by the Pioneers gave them the 23-21 lead and forced head coach Matt Cribbin to call a timeout. Out of the huddle, Potic recorded a kill to make it a one-point game. An AIC error gave the Pioneers a chance for set point. It took two plays, but the Pioneers took the second set, 25-23.
- LIU Post came out swinging in the third set as it jumped out to a 7-2 lead. The Yellow Jackets fought back to make it a four-point game, 24-20, and force a Pioneer timeout.
- Out of the timeout, the Yellow Jackets kept their feet on the pedal to make it 24-22 after being down 20-12 to force another LIU Post timeout. However, with an AIC service error, the Pioneers took the third set 25-22.
- Just like the first three sets, the next one started off neck-and-neck as after 24 serves, the teams were tied at 12. Potic used back-to-back aces to put the Yellow Jackets up two and force an LIU Post timeout. The Yellow Jackets continued to roll as they took the 18-13 lead and the Pioneers were forced to burn their final timeout of the set.
- The Pioneers fought back and forced an AIC timeout with the score at 23-20. It was not enough as the Yellow Jackets forced a fifth set, 25-22.
- AIC entered the match with a 7-3 record in five-set matches, including winning in the last seven. The Yellow Jackets trailed 3-2 when they went on a 4-0 run to force a Pioneer timeout. The game was tied at 10 when the team traded points, then AIC went on another 3-0 run to make it 14-11. With their season hanging by a single point, the Pioneers fought back and took the 15-14 lead. AIC then rallied off three more points to take the set, 17-15, and the match, 3-2.
GAME NOTES:
- Boele is now sixth all-time in career kills with 870 and ninth all-time in points with 1,003.5.
- With a dig in the fifth set, Boele became just the 11th player in program history to record 1,000 career digs.
- Rivera became the career leader in digs in program history during October 17'smatch against Southern Connecticut State. Rivera's dig on the final play of the game proved to be the record-breaking dig.
- On October 28 against Roberts Wesleyan, Rivera became the first player in program history to surpass the 2,000 digs club. She sits at 2,112 digs.
- Kopren now ranks third all-time in program history in assists. She currently has 2,719 career assists and is 1,120 behind Stephanie O'Brien, who has 3,839.
NEXT UP:
- The Yellow Jackets will play the winner of No. 2-seeded Molloy and No. 7 St. Anselm on December 1 at 5 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED:
- For more updates about the AIC volleyball team, follow@AICvbonTwitterand likeAIC VolleyballonFacebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.
