During the fall semester, the City University of New York Athletic Conference will look back at some of its historic fall championship teams, recognizing the rich tradition of athletic excellence by the league's 13 member institutions.
In 2007, the Hostos women's volleyball team put together perhaps its most successful campaign in program history.
Coming off a 5-14 record and being swept in the CUNYAC Championship match the year prior, the Caimans returned for the 2007 season hungry for more. Hostos more than doubled its win total, going 13-12 overall with a 4-4 mark against league opposition, entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed for a second consecutive year.
Hostos opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over third-seeded host Kingsborough in the semifinal round. After dropping the opening game (28-30), the Caimans rallied back with three consecutive set victories for the win (30-12, 30-17, 31-29), setting up a rematch with two-time defending league champion BMCC.
Hostos needed all five sets to pull off the upset over the Panthers, who went unbeaten in CUNYAC play all season. The Caimans found themselves trailing 2-1 through the first three games of the match (30-26, 16-30, 24-30). Hostos forced a decisive fifth set with a 30-27 victory in the fourth game. In the final frame, Hostos held off the Panthers with a 15-13 victory, securing the program's first-ever CUNYAC championship.
"I am so proud of how hard this team worked," said Hostos alumna and third-year head coach
Keisha Hall-Lynch. "I kept pushing them from the bench through the close points of the match, and they battled until the end."
Sophomore
Berbelin Jape was tabbed the tournament's Most Valuable Player, finishing with a match-high 20 kills, 14 digs and three service aces in the upset over BMCC.
"No words can describe how this championship feels," said the sophomore. "Our team knew we could win (the title), and I am so proud of how we played together."
Berbelin Jape (Hostos) - 2007 CCWVB Tournament Most Valuable Player
#CUNYAC Fall Throwback Series