Leindecker Earns Fifth Double-Double of Season in UAlbany Defeat to NAU
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Despite Laini Leindecker's fifth double-double of the year, the UAlbany volleyball team fell in three sets (19-25, 17-25, 9-25) to tournament host Northern Arizona to finish the Lumberjack Classic on Saturday.
Leindecker, who was named to the Lumberjack Classic All-Tournament Team, earned a double-double for UAlbany (2-7) off 10 kills and 12 digs, her third double-double of the tournament. Viktoriia Stroilo dug out 22 attacks, while Amanda Dolan and Olivia Schonewise each had five kills.
For NAU (9-0), Sydney Kemper hit .529 with 11 kills and 14 digs. Janae Vander Ploeg also had a double-double, hitting .294 with 10 kills and 12 digs.
In set one, a couple of Vander Ploeg kills gave NAU an early 3-1 lead. Kills from Leindecker, Dolan and Schonewise kept UAlbany close early, but at 6-5, Jensen Barton earned a kill and went back to serve, putting together a 6-0 run to put NAU up 12-5. Later, a 3-0 run for the tournament host made it 18-10. UAlbany earned a couple of 3-0 runs off the serving of Tatum Jungsten and Emily Lopes, pulling to within three at 20-17. The Great Danes did not get closer as NAU won the set 25-19.
The second set started evenly as kills from Dolan and Schonewise tied the game at 2-2. Two Vander Ploeg kills sparked a 4-0 run by the home team, later getting another started by two Taylor Stephens kills and another to make it 14-5. The teams exchanged points until 18-9, when UAlbany won four of the next five, including two Jungsten kills and a Lauren Spreen ace, to pull to 19-13. At 22-14, consecutive kills from Mikala McCauley, Leindecker and Sofia Furlong got UAlbany within five at 22-17, but the comeback was short as NAU won the final three points to take set two 25-17.
NAU jumped to a 4-1 start in set three. Jungsten earned a kill and a solo to start a 3-0 run, capped by a Lopes ace, to tie the set at 4-4. NAU got a couple of 3-0 runs to go ahead 10-5. A Leindecker kill stopped the second run, and after an exchange of points, the score stood 11-7. The Lumberjacks finished by getting 14 of the final 16 points to win 25-9 and take the match in three.
Ulbany will prepare for the Otto Invitational next weekend, taking on Syracuse on Saturday, September 20th at 5 p.m.
