Yellow Jackets Secure Second NE10 Championship in Program History.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – In a battle for the ages, the American International women's volleyball team outlasted New Haven to win the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, 3-2, on Saturday, November 20.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 3, New Haven 2
Set Scores: 25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-11
Records: The Yellow Jackets rise to 27-6 on the season, while the Chargers fall to 22-9
Location: Henry A. Butova Gymnasium, Springfield, Massachusetts
KEY STATS:
New Haven:
Jessica Akiona: 16 kills, 16 digs, .333 attack percentage
Macy Brown: 12 kills, 19 digs, four blocks
Emily Barry: 12 kills, 15 digs
Asiya Way: 11 kills, six blocks
Sophia Leon-Tabor: 52 assists, 13 digs
AIC:
Andrea Serra-Rosa: 19 kills, 16 digs
Ulrika Blomgren: 17 kills, 22 digs
Paola Soto-Burgos: 10 kills
Mai-Lani Hernandez: 10 kills, four blocks
Amanda Rodriguez: 22 digs, four assists
Naomi Eckert-Rivera: 56 assists, 12 digs, four blocks, three kills
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Chargers jumped out to a quick lead with a five-point run to get ahead 6-1 as Macy Brown landed two kills in the stretch.
- AIC tried to claw back, and New Haven held the Yellow Jackets off through 11-5, but freshman Paola Soto-Burgos put down a kill, and sophomore Janae Kelly followed with an ace to start a nine-point run. Sophomore Mai-Lani Hernandez scored several kills from the middle and freshman Ulrika Blomgren closed the run with one of her own.
- The Chargers tried to keep in it, but AIC was able to put together another run, with Soto-Burgos hitting a kill and graduate student Andrea Serra-Rosa acing the next serve. Serra-Rosa ultimately put down the set's final kill to give AIC the 25-21 win.
- New Haven started strong in the second, building up a 6-3 lead with a four-point run, and while AIC tied things up at 11-11, the Yellow Jackets could never get ahead of the Chargers. Jessica Akiona scored a key kill to keep the guests ahead, and when AIC tied things later at 17-17, Asiya Way scored for New Haven; at 20-20, it was the same, as Akiona again came up for her side. Way and Brown finished the set with a block to tie things up 1-1.
- The third was nearly a carbon copy of the second; New Haven took a 7-5 lead, and while AIC drew even, the Yellow Jackets could never get ahead as the teams traded two and three points at a time to 23-23 before Way notched back-to-back kills to push AIC to the brink.
- The Yellow Jackets needed an adjustment and changed their rotation, and the results were immediate and spectacular as AIC roared to a 9-6 lead and turned New Haven's game against itself.
- The Chargers pressed to cut their deficit to 11-10, but Blomgren pounded a kill down to stop the run; AIC then added three points on blocks by Hernandez and sophomore Naomi Eckert. Serra-Rosa then went to work, blasting down three kills including the 25th point to force a fifth set.
- With the match down to a first-to-15, AIC struck for three quick points as Soto-Burgos had a kill and a block before Serra-Rosa drove a ball to the wood. The Chargers responded, however, with Akiona scoring yet another kill to tie the game 3-3.
- Soto-Burgos and Blomgren came up with clutch kills to restore the AIC lead, and points bounced back-and-forth as neither team gave an inch. At 9-9, Serra-Rosa and Soto-Burgos scored for AIC, and then Soto-Burgos and Blomgren added kills to get AIC ahead 13-10.
- With match point at 14-11, junior Ada Guilera Martinez came in to serve, and she landed an ace down the left side to give AIC the Northeast-10 Conference crown.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME:
- The Yellow Jackets won their first NE10 Volleyball Tournament title since 1996.
- As the regular season title was the team's first, they have now paired the two for the first time in program history.
STREAKING:
- AIC has now won 20 matches in a row.
- The team has not lost a single match in October or November.
- In that stretch, AIC has won 60 out of 68 sets, a winning percentage of .882.
TOURNAMENT TROPHIES:
- Serra-Rosa added Tournament MVP and All-Tournament to her awards case that also includes First-Team All-NE10 and NE10 Player of the Year.
- AIC's other All-Tournament Team selection was senior Amanda Rodriguez, who had 22 digs in the match.
- Akiona was named to the team as well from New Haven.
QUOTABLE:
- "I couldn't be more proud of everyone involved in the AIC volleyball program, from the current players to support staff, alumni, and administration. Everyone worked extremely hard to achieve this goal that we set our sights on when I was hired back in 2012. I couldn't be happier to be part of this program," head coach Matt Cribbin said of the result.
- Of his two All-Tournament players, Cribbin said, "What can you say about Andrea? We would not be in the position we are without all of the things that she brings to the table. She is an incredible talent and we are fortunate to have someone of her caliber. Amanda is the unsung hero of AIC volleyball. She's in the trenches, gritting her teeth and doing the dirty work without any recognition. You have to be there day in and day out to see what she really brings to this team. I'm glad she finally got the recognition she deserves."
NEXT UP:
- AIC awaits its seeding in the NCAA East Regional, which begins December 2.
- The team earned the NE10's automatic qualification.
- The Yellow Jackets were the top-ranked team going into the final regional rankings.
-Release provided by AIC athletic communications-
ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Andrea Serra-Rosa, AIC*
Amanda Rodriguez, AIC
Jessica Akiona, New Haven
Ellie Wheeler, Bentley
Abby Remick, Stonehill
*Most Outstanding Player
ELITE 24 AWARD
Jessica Akiona, New Haven
NE10 Volleyball Championship
Tuesday, November 16th
Quarterfinals at Higher Seeds
Match 1: #1 American International 3, #8 Assumption 0
Match 2: #2 New Haven 3, #7 SNHU 1
Match 3: #3 Stonehill 3, #6 Saint Anselm 1
Match 4: #4 Bentley 3, #5 SCSU 1
Friday, November 19th
Semifinals - at highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal matches.
Match 5: #1 American International 3, #4 Bentley 1
Match 6: #2 New Haven 3, #3 Stonehill 1
Saturday, November 20th
Championship
Match 7: #1 American International 3, #2 New Haven 2
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 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.
