Vassar College Athletics

2016 Liberty League Women's Volleyball Championships, hosted by Vassar College
All matches played in Kenyon Hall
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Liberty League Women's Volleyball Home Page - SCHEDULE & RESULTS - STANDINGS - STATISTICS

TOURNAMENT PROGRAM - TOURNAMENT INSERT

Seeds
1. VASSAR COLLEGE (20-9, 9-3 Liberty League)
MAIN PAGE - ROSTER - SCHEDULE - STATS - COACHING STAFF 
2. CLARKSON UNIVERSITY (19-14, 9-3 Liberty League)
 MAIN PAGE - ROSTER - SCHEDULE - STATS - COACHING STAFF 
3. UNION COLLEGE (25-10, 8-4 Liberty League)
MAIN PAGE - ROSTER - SCHEDULE - STATS - COACHING STAFF 
4. ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (21-17, 8-4 Liberty League)
MAIN PAGE - ROSTER - SCHEDULE - STATS - COACHING STAFF 

MATCH TIMES
Semifinal #1 - Clarkson vs. Union - Clarkson, 3-0 - Live Stats - Live Video - Box Score 
Semifinal #2 - Vassar vs. RIT - Vassar, 3-2 - Live Stats - Live Video - Box Score

Championships - Clarkson vs. Vassar - Clarkson, 3-1 - Live Stats - Live Video - Box Score

Semifinal 1 - Clarkson 3, Union 0
With a particularly strong offensive performance from Rachael Aird and Jillian Saenz, Clarkson University put away Union College in the first semifinal Liberty League Championship contest in three sets, with scores of 25-13, 25-22 and 25-17. 

In the beginning of the first set the two teams stayed relatively even, trading off the one point lead. However, service errors from Union combined with a series of kills and stuffs from Aird gave Clarkson significant control at 16-8. The Golden Knights maintained that advantage as Aird continued to gain momentum. After she posted two consecutive kills and a tip, Clarkson went up 20-11. Although Ally VanDoren amounted seven points with six kills in the first set, she and her fellow Dutchwomen could not break the Clarkson offense. Dominating plays from Aird, Kendall Cheval and Rachel Reusch brought the first set win for Clarkson 25-13.   

Union rebounded with much more aggressive play in the second. The teams remained neck and neck through the majority of the set, with occasional bouts of leads from both squads. Midway through the set, the Dutchwomen broke away from the Golden Knights at 16-10 as VanDoren, Alaina Thaxter and Alyssa Bonesteel asserted their offensive skills. Shortly after, a series of offensive plays from Aird, Saenz and Cheval as well as a pivotal dig from Sophia Holms put Clarkson within four points, 17-13. Union stayed ahead thanks to kills from VanDoren but the Clarkson offense soon proved too difficult for the Dutchwomen. The Golden Knights regained the lead at 23-22 as Reusch served two aces and Aird notched another kill. Two more kills from Aird gave Clarkson the second set 25-22. 

Although Union was competitive at the start of the third set, it could not stay with the Clarkson offense. After a kill from Aird, the Golden Knights went ahead 9-8 and never allowed Union back into the set. The Dutchwomen started to amount errors as Clarkson became more assertive offensively. Back to back digs from Cheval and Holms secured the advantage and the ultimate win for Clarkson as it went up 23-15. Aird put away the 25-17 victory for the Gold Knights with her twelfth kill of the game. 

Saenz contributed with 24 assists and one block while Aird dominated with 19.5 points. For Union, VanDoren finished with nine kills as Emma Sprotbery added five kills. Clarkson will either face Vassar College or RIT in the finals of the Liberty League Championships tomorrow at 4:00pmat Vassar College.

Semifinal 2 - Vassar 3, RIT 2 
In the second Liberty League Championships semifinal, number one seed Vassar College took out RIT in a nail-biter five set battle, with scores of 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 and 15-11. 

Vassar held the lead the entire first set, proving its offensive dominance. Devan Gallagher in particular was a force to be reckoned with as she notched six kills. The second set wasn’t as smooth sailing for the Brewers as the Tigers came out swinging. The two teams traded off the advantage until RIT edged ahead 10-9, keeping the lead for the remainder of the set. Hitters Erin Parkinson and Anna Valentine both contributed kills to help RIT stay above Vassar in the second.

Up until 19-19 the Tigers and Brewers went neck and neck in the third set. Thanks to a service and attack error by RIT combined with kills from Gallagher and a service ace from Miller, the Brewers took the third set 25-21. The fourth set again went back and forth as both squads traded off the lead. After an attack error from RIT, the Brewers went up 24-20. However, the Tigers displayed their defensive prowess as they held off four match points and eventually took the set 27-25.

In the fifth set RIT started strong, holding at least a one-point advantage over Vassar until 7-7. Then the Brewers asserted play, gaining a four-point lead after posting five kills. Miller shut out the five set thriller will a kill from Annie MacMillan.

Jane McLeod led the Brewers with 22 points as Gallagher finished close behind with 18.5. For the Tigers, Sarah Szybist ended with 27 points while Sara Taylor posted 12.5. Vassar will take on Clarkson University tomorrow at 4:00pm at Vassar College for the Liberty League Championship Finals. 
 

Finals - Clarkson 3, Vassar 1
In a hard fought final, the Clarkson Knights came out on top against Vassar College 3-1 to win the Liberty League Championship and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. 

After trading off the lead early in the first, Clarkson went ahead 6-4 and wouldn’t conceded the advantage for the remainder of the set. Katrina Lane and Rachel Reusch contributed strong levels of play as they posted six and five kills respectively to win the set for Clarkson 25-19.

Although the Knights went on an early run in the second, the Brewers turned on their offensive skills to take it 25-23. Aird helped Clarkson establish leads throughout the set only later to be contested by Devan Gallagher and the Brewer squad. Two kills and an ace from Gabby Miller ultimately gave Vassar the 25-23 victory.

The third set followed a similar pattern as the first, as Clarkson, after staying even with Vassar early on, went ahead by 11-8 and held onto the lead to take the set 25-21. Lane, Reusch and Aird dominated the floor again, hitting consistent kills to break open the Vassar defense. 

While Vassar earned its largest lead in the fourth at 10-6, the Knights remained consistent and took the set, along with the match, 25-22. Lane led Clarkson with 22 points, followed closely by Reusch with 17 and Aird with 15. For the Brewers Jane McLeod notched 18 points while Gallagher and Miller added 16 and 15 respectively. With the win, the Clarkson Knights will move on to the NCAA tournament. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Aird, Clarkson - MVP
Lane, Clarkson
Isaksen, Clarkson
Gallagher, Vassar
Miller, Vassar
Szybist, RIT

2016 SEASON IN REVIEW
Performers of the Week:

10/31/2016	Katherine Moeller	Union College
10/24/2016	Katherine Moeller	Union College
10/17/2016	Sarah Szybist	Rochester Institute of Technology
10/10/2016	Rachael Aird	Clarkson University
10/3/2016	Emma Sprotbery	Union College
9/26/2016	Devan Gallagher	Vassar College
9/19/2016	Sarah Szybist	Rochester Institute of Technology
9/12/2016	Sarah Szybist	Rochester Institute of Technology
9/6/2016	Sarah Szybist	Rochester Institute of Technology

Rookies of the Week: 

10/31/2016	Katy Ehnstrom	Skidmore College
10/24/2016	Katy Ehnstrom	Skidmore College
10/17/2016	Kate Isaksen	Clarkson University
10/10/2016	Rachel Reusch	Clarkson University
10/3/2016	Jane McLeod	Vassar College
9/26/2016	Jane McLeod	Vassar College
9/19/2016	Jane McLeod	Vassar College
9/12/2016	Jane McLeod	Vassar College
9/6/2016	Katy Ehnstrom	Skidmore College