Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. –The University of Delaware volleyball team locked up the No. 2 seed in next week’s Colonial Athletic Association Tournament after posting an exciting 3-2 (32-30, 25-27, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14) victory over Hofstra in the squad’s regular season finale on Sunday afternoon.

Although Delaware (19-7, 12-2) finished the regular season tied with Virginia Commonwealth for the best record in the CAA, the Blue Hens earned the No. 2 seed as a result of their head-to-head loss against the Rams. UD will face George Mason in the first round of the playoffs on Monday, November 23 at 4 p.m. VCU will battle William & Mary in the other semifinal bout at 7 p.m.

The winners of those two matches will square off for the conference championship on Tuesday at 7 p.m. All postseason contests will be hosted at Virginia Commonwealth’s Alltel Pavilion.

Kim Stewart (at right) had an incredible performance on Sunday against the Pride, posting 20 digs, 14 kills, and five blocks. Katie Dennehy also had 14 kills, while Greta Gibboney notched four of the team’s 13 service aces.

After battling from behind to knot the match at two sets apiece, Delaware stumbled early in the fateful fifth frame. Hofstra (13-19, 7-7) pulled out to a 5-1 lead before UD called a timeout. The stoppage certainly paid dividends as the team regrouped in the break.

A block by Dennehy kicked off a three-point roll that was capped nicely by a Gibboney ace. Later, a Stewart kill and a Pride error evened the set at six. Still tied after two more rallies, Hofstra pulled away momentarily and secured a 10-7 lead.

Staring at a three-point hole, Delaware took advantage of three Hofstra miscues and another Stewart kill to knot the set at 11. Following back-to-back blasts from Alissa Alker and Paige Erickson, Hofstra called a timeout trailing, 13-12. Following the break, an Alker ace gave the squad match-point, but the Pride quickly retied the set on two straight kills by Anissa Whitney.

Unfazed by the late Hofstra push, Delaware responded. Dennehy posted a kill to give the squad match-point again at 15-14. This time, the team capitalized as the Hens took advantage of a Pride attack error to walk away with the five-set victory.

The Delaware defense played a large roll in the win as five players posted at least 10 digs. Stephanie Barry led the way with 28 for the Hens, while Gibboney and Jess Chason had 15 apiece. Stewart and Kelly Gibson rounded out the group, recording 20 and 10, respectively.

Early on, the match was just as close as it was in the end. In the first frame, Delaware pulled out to a modest 5-2 lead aided by a pair of aces from Barry and one kill each by Stewart and Alker. Hofstra quickly fought back, however, as the team overtook the Hens at 8-7 and held that one-point advantage until 11-10.

Delaware responded with a six-point surge, highlighted by an ace from Chason, to snatch a 16-11 lead. Later in the set, after extending their lead to six behind a block by Alker and Erickson, the Hens could not quite put the set away.

Buoyed by a 9-2 roll, Hofstra stormed back to knot the set at 22. Although Delaware eventually rebounded and used a Stewart kill to earn set-point at 24-23, the squad could not close it out. Each rally that the Hens won was quickly matched by a Pride point. Two more Stewart kills put the squad on the verge of victory again, but Hofstra fought back to tie the frame at 30.

Already the longest set of the season for Delaware, the squad refused to have it drag on any longer. The Hens capitalized on a pair of Pride errors to clinch a 32-30 victory. It marked the longest opening set for the squad since a 34-32 setback against George Mason on September 28, 2007.

In the second frame, Hofstra came out refreshed, running up an early 7-3 lead. Although Michelle LaLonde launched a pair of kills and Gibboney unloaded an ace in the middle of the set, the Pride had an answer each time. Eventually, the hosts pulled out to a six-point edge at 13-7.

Still facing a daunting deficit at 18-13, UD mounted a comeback. A kill and ace by Erickson bookended a five-point streak that saw the squad tie the frame at 18.

Another ace by Gibboney and blocks by Stewart and Kelly Gibson helped offset a few Pride rallies to keep the frame deadlocked until 25. Unfortunately, Delaware could not complete the comeback. A Blue Hen miscue coupled with a kill by Marina Markovic capped the second set at 27-25.

With how evenly matched the first two sets were, it was no surprise that the third was just as close. Neither team could gain a strong foothold in the beginning of the frame as the squads battled to nine early ties. After Delaware grabbed a little breathing room following two kills by Erickson and a single shot by Dennehy, Hofstra came back.

The Pride quickly flipped its deficit into a 15-13 lead. However, following a three-point roll by Delaware, the Hens regained their advantage at 16-15. Assisted by two kills and a block by Stewart, the squad held that advantage until 23-22. After that, the tide began to turn.

A Taylor Moore kill retied the set at 23 before a blast by Marina Markovic gave the team set-point. A pair of timeouts by Delaware in the waning moments of the frame could not shift the momentum as Hofstra picked up a 25-23 victory following a Blue Hen error.

Staring at a two-sets-to-one deficit, Delaware fell behind in the fourth after Hofstra took a 7-3 lead. Despite the early misstep, a pair of four-point streaks, including two blocks and a couple of aces by Erickson, saw UD take an 11-10 lead heading into an Hofstra timeout.

The Pride came back to tie the set at 11 and kept it there until 16-16. After that point, Delaware took over. An ace and kill by Alker on consecutive rallies gave the Hens a 20-17 lead. Later, a block and kill by Dennehy allowed the squad to earn set-point at 24-19. Stewart quickly iced the frame, stuffing a Hofstra attack to send the match into the fifth.

Alker finished the contest with three aces after only serving once during the team’s previous 25 matches. Erickson also had three aces, while Barry chipped in with two.

Hofstra was led by Anissa Whitney, who had 18 kills and five blocks. Kylee Maneja also had a match-high 33 digs, while Chrissey Cruz led everyone with 57 assists.