RADNOR, PA – The Cabrini volleyball team saw its season come to an end today at Nerney Feld House, as the Cavaliers suffered a 3-1 loss to New York University in the semifinal round of the 2018 ECAC Div. III Volleyball Tournament.
The loss ended the Blue and White's campaign with a 23-11 record.
With the wn, NYU advanced to the championship match, where it will face McDaniel, who scored a 3-1 (25-17, 11-25, 25-20, 25-14) win over Lebanon Valley.
The 23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-23 defeat also closes the careers of the team's three seniors,
Ashley Shannon,
Emily Shannon and
Kassie Ockford. This trio led Cavaliers to 95 victories, including a 39-0 mark in conference play and three league titles.
Junior
Katrina Shelly paced the Blue and White, pairing career highs of 22 kills and 16 digs.
Emily Shannon recorded 14 kills and 14 digs, while freshman
Hannah Dalton added nine kills.
Ashley Shannon matched Shell's 16 digs, two more than freshman
Gina Custer, while fellow freshman
Amelia Ballard posted a season high 43 assists.
The Cavaliers rode an early lead in the opening frame. The lead swelled to 22-13 after a kill by freshman
Marie Hamilton, but the Violets stormed back. NYU pulled to within 24-23 before a Shelly kill closed the set.
The Violets turned the tables in the second set, building an early lead and never allowing the Cavaliers to pull even. Cabrini trailed 16-12 before rallying late to come within 20-18, but three consecutive NYU proved to be the cushion the Violets needed to even the match at one set apiece.
Cabrini fell into another early hole in the third set, as NYU built a 15-7 advantage. The deficit proved to be too large, as the Cavaliers struggled to pull within five points of the Violets.
With their season hanging in the balance, the Blue and White built an early 5-2 lead in the fourth frame. Despite maintaining its advantage through much of the set, Cabrini could not pull away from the Violets. Trailing 19-15, NYU turned the set around.
NYU scored four of the next five points to pull within 20-19 and minutes later, reeled off five consecutive points to grab the lead on the scoreboard and the momentum in the gym.
Freshman Maddie DeJong led the Violets (21-16) with 16 kills, while classmate Abby Ausmus added 13. Sophomore Jacqueline Kupeli earned match high honors with 29 digs.
Semifinal #2: McDaniel 3, Lebanon Valley 2
Sophomore Marlowe Embry paired 13 kills adn 16 digs, wile classmate Emma Lorenzen notched 15 digs to lead the Green Terror into the ECAC championship match. Fellow sophomore Gayle Edelstein paired 19 assists and 11 digs, as senior Lauren Wells added seven kills and 16 helpers.
Senior Jess Attieh led the Dutchmen with 14 kills, while sophomore Jensen Burnheimer directed the attack to the tune of 26 assists. Sophomore Kaitlyn Reed added 15 digs and four service aces.
Championship: NYU 3, McDaniel 0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-15)
Ausmus earned Most Valuable Player honors after posting 13 kills with no errors, nine blocks and six digs to lead the Violets (22-16) to a straight set win over McDaniel. DeJong added nine kills, one more than junior Caroline Rapp. Senior Katie Goyette paired 17 assists, six service aces and five digs, while Kupeli earned match high honors with 17 digs.
Embry led the Green Terror (22-9) with eight kills and 14 digs. Senior Taylor Baumann matched Embry with 14 digs, while Wells and Edelstein combined for 21 assists.
