Embrace the Championship: Owls Claim First-Ever NE10 Volleyball Crown

Embrace the Championship: Owls Claim First-Ever NE10 Volleyball Crown
Posted: Nov 10, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BOX SCORE

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - The Southern Connecticut State University volleyball team swept American International College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-18), in the 2018 Northeast Conference Championship Final for the first NE10 title in program history. Senior Alyssa Gage (Beverly Hills, Fla.) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player while Gage and senior Leanna Jadus (Beverly Hills, Fla.) were named to the 2018 NE10 All-Tournament Team. 

Gage totaled 14 kills and 11 digs as well as a block and two aces. Gabriela Vazquez (Meriden, Conn.) totaled 13 kills and three blocks while Jadus had eight kills and nine digs in the championship match. Kailyn O'Neal (Katy, Texas) tallied 31 assists. 

HOW DID IT HAPPEN

  • Set No. 1 (SCSU 25, AIC 20): The Owls used a 10-1 run to open the set, highlighted by Kylie Fisher's five services aces as SCSU jumped out to a nine-point lead. AIC trimmed the Owls' lead to 22-20 before SCSU closed-out the set, punctuated by a pair of Gabriela Vazquez kills. 
  • Set No. 2 (SCSU 25, AIC 18): The Owls worked their way back from an early 6-2 deficit to grab a 7-6 lead as Vazquez once again pulled SCSU back into the set. Trailing 11-10, a Jillian Chambers (Shelby Township, Mich.) ace capped a 6-0 run that gave the Owls a 16-11 lead which they would hold onto in an 25-18 set victory.
  • Set No. e (SCSU 25, AIC 23): Despite a back-and-fourth battle down the stretch, that saw the Yellow Jackets hoping to escape the sweep, back-to-back kills by Gage and Vazquez ended the AIC threat and capped off the title for the Owls.

NOTES

  • This was the second-straight NE10 Championship Final appearance for the Owls, and the first NE10 Championship in program history.
  • SCSU improves to 7-4 in the NE10 Tournament, all-time.
  • For Gage, it was her third-straight double-double, as she currently averages 15 kills and 13.5 digs in the NE10 Championship Tournament.
  • Vazquez posted her third-straight double-digit performance of the tournament is averaging 12.5 kills per contest. 
  • The Owls have now won seven-consecutive games and 11 straight against NE10 opponents. 
ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Alyssa Gage, SCSU (Most Outstanding Player)
Leanna Jadus, SCSU
Evelyn Lopez, AIC
Madison Canestrari, Adelphi
Jewel Hays, Saint Anselm
 
Tuesday, November 6th 
Quarterfinals ­ at Higher Seeds
Match 1: #8 Saint Anselm 3, #1 New Haven 0
Match 2: #2 Adelphi 3, #7 Saint Rose 0
Match 3: #3 American International 3, #6 Pace 1
Match 4: #4 Southern Connecticut 3, #5 Southern New Hampshire 0
 
Friday, November 9th 
Semifinals - at Adelphi
Match 5: #3 American International 3, #2 Adelphi 2
Match 6: #4 Southern Connecticut 3, #8 Saint Anselm 1
 
Saturday, November 10th   
Championship ­ 
            Match 7: #4 Southern Connecticut 3, #3 American International 0
 
-Information provided by athletic communications office at Southern Connecticut-

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.