UNH Volleyball Wins The America East Championship

Saturday, November 23

Binghamton, N.Y.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

18-9,7-3America East

UAlbany

12-15,5-5America East

UAlbany

New Hampshire

11/23/2024 9:02:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

This is the program's eighth title in its history, the first since 2016

VESTAL, N.Y. - The University of New Hampshire volleyball team won the America East Championship!

The Wildcats defeated UAlbany 3-1 on Saturday in the championship match.

The set scores were 15-25, 25-22, 25-22, and 25-23.

Junior right-side hitter Meredith Hohnbaum (Indianapolis, Ind) led UNH's attack with 15 kills and 16 points. Graduate Student outside hitter Hannah Serbousek (Fort Collins, Colo.) was next up with 10 kills and 13 points. UNH used two primary setters as sophomore Jessica Shattles (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) led the 'Cats with 22 assists and freshman Ellery Singleton (Menlo Park, Calif) recorded 18. Junior libero/defensive specialist Avery LePore (Franklin, Tenn) led the team with a season-high 27 digs (she also hit 1,000 career digs tonight).

"I am beyond proud of this team for their efforts tonight," said head coach Christopher Feliciano. "Their resiliency and ability to overcome obstacles together as a family brought this championship home tonight. Our team culture shined when we were down 8-16 [in set four]. No one was going to let the match go to five [sets]. We all believed."

Feliciano, who was named head coach in 2019, led the Wildcats to their first America East title under his leadership.

Up Next

The NCAA Selection Show is on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

SET ONE

UAlbany came out red-hot going up 7-2. Four UAlbany errors brought the 'Cats back to a two-point game.
Kills from senior outside hitter Ezgi Karabulut (Ankara, Turkey) and Serbousk along with a block from graduate student middle blocker Kelly Kaufmann (Raleigh, N.C.) and Karabulut strung the Wildcats along to 14-12.
The Great Danes never gave up their lead and won a dominant set one 25-15.

SET TWO

The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead after a Hohnbaum kill and a UAlbany error.
Two Karabulut and Serbousek kills, and a Grier block sprung the 'Cats up 8-4.
UAlbany brought the score to 9-8 but the 'Cats responded with a 5-1 run consisting of two kills from Kaufmann, one from Hohnbaum, an ace from Shattles, and a Great Dane service error.
UAlbany had one more push to go down by one at 16-15 but the Wildcats persevered and won set two 25-22.

SET THREE

UNH began set three with a Kaufmann kill and a UAlbany attack error to go up 2-0.
UAlbany surged back and took a 9-7 lead. The Wildcats finally tied it up at 14 after an attack error from the Great Danes. The score tied again at 15, 16, 17, and 19 before UNH took a 21-19 lead.
Kills from Hohnbaum and Grier along with blocks by Serbousek and Grier handed the Wildcats set three to take a 2-1 lead in the match (25-22).

SET FOUR

Set four battle-tested the Wildcats. UAlbany went up as much as 16-8 and UNH was forced to play from behind until the late moments of the set to prevent a fifth set.
A Hohnbaum kill sparked a 12-2 run that would put UNH ahead 20-18. The stretch included a Serbousek and Singleton ace, four Hohnbaum kills, a Karabulut kill, and blocks from Karabulut, Kaufmann, and Grier.
UAlbany still kept the set close as the 'Cats went up 24-21 but the Great Danes scored two points to put the pressure on.
A service error from the Great Danes crowned the Wildcats as the 2024 America East Champions.

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