Hunter Gets Career-High 19 Kills in Four-Set Defeat to Delaware

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NEWARK, Del. – UAlbany volleyball rallied to take the third set in a comeback attempt, but fell to Delaware in four sets (17-25, 29-31, 26-24, 19-25) to open the year.

Amy Hunter led UAlbany (0-1) with a career-high 19 kills, adding two blocks.  Mikala McCauley earned a double-double with 21 assists and 10 digs, while Laini Leindecker hit .229 with 12 kills and four digs.  Emily Lopes led the team with 29 assists, while Viktoriia Stroilo finished with 21 digs.

For Delaware (0-1), the UD Courtyard by Marriott Invitational host, Autumn Jenkins had a double-double with 19 kills and 12 digs, as did Katie Hillman with 15 kills and 10 digs.

Delaware got off to a strong start in set one with a 4-0 run off a kill and serving of Hillman.  A Hunter kill stopped the run as the teams went back and forth, with UAlbany pulling to within two, after a Hunter kill and block, 10-8.  The home team countered off the serving of Taylor Hollingsworth with a 6-0 run.  UAlbany called timeout and used a Hunter kill and Jenkins attack error to get back two points, but a five-point run by the Blue Hens sealed the set.  A couple of late Leindecker kills helped UAlbany get closer, but the Great Danes fell 25-17.

The second set was a battle, with the Blue Hens getting an early 7-3 advantage.  UAlbany countered by winning five of the next six, including three kills, to tie the set at eight.  Both sides went back and forth, with neither going up by more than two until at 17-16 Delaware, an Lopes dump kill sparked a five-point spurt off McCauley's serving, capped by a service ace, for a 21-17 UAlbany lead, later leading 22-18.  Delaware got the next five points to take the advantage 23-22.  UAlbany called timeout and halted the streak with a Hunter kill.  The two sides battled time and again, with each exchanging a pair of points and defending against set point.  UAlbany got another chance at 29-28, but a Hillman started a 3-0 run to give the set to Delaware 31-29 for a two-set lead.

Out of the break, McCauley served UAlbany to start the game with the first five points, capped by a Sofia Furlong solo block.  Hillman served Delaware back four points as the teams followed by exchanging points.  At 8-7 UA, Amanda Dolan earned a kill and block, adding an Olivia Schonewise ace for a 3-0 streak.  Again the teams went back and forth as Delaware took a 3-0 run to tie the set at 15-15.  At 17-17, Laindecker earned a kill.  Tatum Jungsten served two consecutive aces for a 20-17 UAlbany lead, later leading 24-21.  Delaware held the next three points, but a kill from Hunter and a combo block from Dolan and Jungsten sealed the game for UAlbany, pulling them to within 2-1 of Delaware.

The home team got a strong start in set four, going up early 5-1.  Later at 9-5, kills from Laindecker and Hunter pulled UAlbany within two, but Delaware countered with the next four points.  UAlbany was unable to get a run together until at 18-12, when a Laindecker kill and Alexa Swann attack error got it back within four.  But the Great Danes were not able to get closer as Delaware took the final set 25-19 to win the match.

UAlbany will finish the invite tomorrow, taking on Rhode Island at 11 a.m. and Loyola Chicago at 4:30 p.m.