SCORE: UAlbany 3, UMBC 2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-20, 12-25, 15-11)
 
LOCATION: PE Gym - Albany, N.Y.
 
RECORD: UAlbany 9-12, 3-4 AE | UMBC 6-13, 4-2 AE
 
SHORT STORY: In a thrilling five-set battle UAlbany's resilience and clutch plays powered them to outlast UMBC and secure a dramatic 3-2 victory.
 
COACH JOSH PICKARD: "I'm very proud of everyone today. We had a lot of different people step up and get the job done.  Each and every one of the team studied the scouting report and really got their jobs done."
 
KEY STATS

• Graduate student Elisavet Papageorgiou led the Great Danes with 14 kills. 
• Freshman Maria Olga Siapani facilitated 33 assists.
• Redshirt-sophomore Gabriella Karman led with three service aces.
• Freshman Kiki Provatas led the Great Danes' defense with nine digs.
• Karman, sophomore Campbell Robinson, and redshirt-junior Kendall Harris led at the net with three blocks each.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UAlbany started the match strong by jumping to an 11-7 lead with kills from graduate student Elisavet Papageorgiou and three other hitters.
• UMBC closed the gap to bring it within one but the Great Danes powered forward.
• The Purple and Gold closed out the set one, 25-23.
• The Retrievers started set two with a five-point scoring run but UAlbany responded to tie it at 11.
• UAlbany battled through a series of ties and lead changes until UMBC went on a 5-1 scoring run to end set two, 27-25.
• Set three began as a back-and-forth battle with points continuously exchanging until it was tied at 12.
• The Great Danes extended their lead to 19-15, with key plays from Papageorgiou.
• UAlbany secured set three, 25-20, and dominated the final moments with a 6-1 scoring run.
• UMBC surged early in set four and built a 17-7 lead over the Great Danes.
• Efforts by redshirt-sophomore Gabriella Karman and Papageorgiou were made to close the gap but the Retrievers stayed in control.
• UMBC closed the set, 25-12, and forced a deciding fifth set.
• The final set was closely contested with UMBC pulling ahead at first before UAlbany got fired up.
• Key kills from redshirt-junior Kendall Harris gave UAlbany the lead and they weren't letting go.
• A service ace from freshman Kasia Barletta ended the set, 15-11. This gave the Great Danes the win, 3-2.

NEXT: The Great Danes hit the road again to face New Hampshire on Friday, November 1.
 
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