NEW YORK, N.Y. – For the first time in 39 years, the Brooklyn College women’s volleyball team are CUNYAC Champions, defeating six-time defending champion Hunter College (25-23, 16-25, 25-22, 10-25, 15-9) in a five-set thriller Friday evening at Hunter Sportsplex. With the victory, Brooklyn earns the league’s automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship. The selection show is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 8.
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The top-seeded Bulldogs turned in a strong performance against the third-seeded Hawks in a rematch of the 2019 finals, however this time securing the victory for their first conference championship since 1982.
"I'm so proud of this team," CUNYAC Coach of the Year,
Mateusz Gotowicki, said after the victory. "They never got too up or too down during the entire match and really rose to the occasion when it mattered."
It was a tightly contested opening set between the two programs. The Hawks scored the first four points of the frame, racing out to an early 8-2 lead. The Bulldogs chipped away at the deficit, using a 9-3 run to knot the game at 11. The two teams continued to exchange runs throughout the set for a 23-23 score. Brooklyn prevailed, capitalizing on a pair of Hunter errors to win the game, 25-23, to take a 1-0 series lead.
Much like the opening set, Hunter started the second game with an early 10-3 advantage. The Hawks did not look back, building up a lead as large as 10 (24-14) to win the frame, 25-16, tying the series at one game apiece.
In the third set, trailing 20-14, Brooklyn battled back to take the game, outscoring Hunter 11-5 to finish the frame for a 25-22 victory and a 2-1 series lead.
With their backs against the wall, the Hawks responded in the fourth set, hitting .429 with 19 kills and three services to cruise to a 25-10 win to force a decisive fifth set.
In the winner-take-all set, the Bulldogs got out to a fast start by scoring the first three points of the game. Brooklyn did not relinquish the lead, going on to win the set, 15-9, clinching the program’s second championship in team history.
Senior captain and CUNYAC All-Star
Ezri Shor was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, turning in a double-double of 34 assists and 13 digs in the victory.
CUNYAC First Team All-Star
Ashley Fung was sensational throughout the contest, recording a match-high 17 kills along with 13 digs. Teammate
Aleah Rafat, the 2021 CUNYAC Rookie of the Year, finished with a double-double of her own with 16 kills and a team-best 16 digs. For their efforts, both players were named to the all-tournament team.
Brooklyn's
Sydney Gdanski finished with eight kills, three service aces and 15 digs, while
Megan Ortiz-Mengedoht produced four kills and three total blocks.
Four Hawks finished with double-digit kills, highlighted by a team-best 14 from CUNYAC First-Team All-Star,
Mariam Outtara. Classmate and all-conference performer
Justine Smith finished with 41 assists and 14 digs in the loss. The seniors also earned a spot on the all-tournament squad.
2021 CUNYAC/Pepsi Women’s Volleyball Championship All-Tournament Team
Meghan Smith, Fr., S, John Jay
Sarah Chung, Fr., OH, Baruch
Aleah Rafat, Fr., OH, Brooklyn
Mariam Ouattara, Sr., MB, Hunter
Justine Smith, Sr., S, Hunter
Ashley Fung, So., OH, Brooklyn
Tournament Most Valuable Player: Ezri Shor, Sr., S, Brooklyn