POTSDAM, N.Y. – The College at Brockport Volleyball team concluded the 2015 season with its highest winning percentage in school history for the volleyball program, a mark of .944 as it fell three games to zero in the NCAA New York Regionals Tournament Saturday afternoon to No. 2 seed Springfield in the Alumni Gymnasium of host Clarkson University.
Brockport (34-2 Overall) played with great determination and grit having battled back before from a 0-2 deficit, winning the conference deciding match against New Paltz. The Golden Eagles were swept for the first time this season 25-20, 25-21 and 25-23 struggling to overcome a lengthy Springfield lineup.
In the third set, Brockport played with great confidence and swagger taking a commanding 22-17 lead behind the play of Noelle Poloncarz. During a four point swing in favor of the Golden Eagles, Poloncarz tallied an assist and an ace. However the Pride showed great determination in not letting the match get extended as a substitution helped transform the momentum. Springfield scored five successive points to tie the match before a well-placed swing from Kayla Barber seemed to transfer the momentum back in Brockport's favor.
Barber served next for the Golden Eagles in which the Pride returned the ball to Brockport's side. The Golden Eagles third hit, an attack attempt from Poloncarz appeared to get blocked and she responded with a crouching dig called a fourth hit which knotted the game back up at 23-all. Springfield scored the next two points capturing the victory to play in the final New York Regional game Sunday at noon.
Brianna Richardson had a strong game for the Green and Gold, leading the team with both 10 kills and hitting percentage at a .412 clip. Poloncarz finished the match with 32 assists, seven digs, three kills in four attempts and an ace. Kathleen Irwin led the team with 17 total digs.
Game 1: Springfield 25 – Brockport 20
Brockport found itself in an early 10-6 hole before a kill by Barber initiated a change in momentum. Poloncarz set the kill and followed it with some strong serving. The Golden Eagles quickly found themselves back to a tight race to the finish of set one with Springfield as Poloncarz led Brockport to tie the score at 10-all. Including a kill from Jamie Schlesinger and Poloncarz herself. She pushed the ball to the back corner where no member of the Pride could find it.
After taking a 13-12 lead on two service aces by Barber, Springfield fought back to take the lead scoring eight of the next nine points. The Golden Eagles head coachSteve Pike used a timeout to help compose the Green and Gold squad which immediately rallied with a kill from Sam Holdredge on an assist from Poloncarz. A kill from Richardson helped trim the lead to 19-16 but the Pride used its lengthy middles to score two consecutive blocking points.
Brockport refused to give in and scored three consecutive points on kills from Richardson, Barber and Poloncarz. The score was trimmed to a three point deficit before the two sides traded single points. The Pride scored the final two points to take game one 25-20.
Richardson hit the ball at an extremely high rate converting four of her attempts into kills without a single error. Setter Noelle Poloncarz added three kills to her consistently produced 10 assists.
Game 2: Springfield 25 – Brockport 21
The Green and Gold squad again fell behind early and utilized the serving talents of Poloncarz to take the lead. Brockport scored three consecutive points with her at the line on attacking errors from Springfield to take a 5-2 lead.
Aimee Spilman led the team on its next run which included a kill from Richardson sprinkled in between two errors on the Pride. The two teams traded multiple points before the Pride's tally met that of the Golden Eagles, tying the match at 11-all.
The two teams played evenly for the next several minutes as the fans from both sides had multiple attempts to cheer on their squads, including a powerful Ashley Caponethat made a Springfield defender lose her footing. Following the Capone kill, Brockport scored another point on an attack by Barber that hit the Pride wall and went straight down on its own side.
Brockport held a 17-14 lead causing the Pride to call a timeout. Springfield immediately responded by getting the ball to its lengthy middle for a booming kill.
Capone had a booming kill to retaliate before Holdredge painted the line with an accurate attack of her own to give Brockport a 19-17 lead.
Back-to-back points by the Pride tied things up before Holdredge painted the line again and Richardson scored the next point to give Brockport another two point advantage. However Springfield scored the next six points to take game two the 25-21.
Game 3: Springfield 25 – Brockport 22
The third set started out as a back-to-back battle as neither team was able to take control early on with the largest lead coming when Brockport took an 11-9 lead on a kill from Capone. Brockport maintained that lead at 13-11 on another kill from Capone before taking a 14-11 advantage on an ace from Kathleen Irwin.
The Golden Eagles built the lead up to 15-11 on a kill from Holdredge before trading points with the Pride, maintaining a four point advantage at 17-13.
Springfield went on a rally of its own trimming the lead to a single point before Richardson stopped the swing. The Golden Eagles held a 19-17 lead when Poloncarz reentered the match to serve. Capone hit a powerful blast on a quick pass from Poloncarz that erupted cheers from the Green and Gold fans filling the bleachers, giving Brockport a 20-17 advantage.
Brockport scored the next two points, taking a commanding 22-17 lead. However the Pride fought back with three straight points causing a Golden Eagle timeout.
Two more points by Springfield tied the match at 22-all forcing Brockport to use its final timeout of the set. Brockport scored the next point to take the lead but three straight points ended the Golden Eagles season.
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