LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — Score is 24-22 for the Bobcats in the fourth set. No. 2 Quinnipiac is up two sets to one against No. 3 Rider and only one point away from the MAAC championship game.
Junior outside hitter Yagmur Gunes is at the serve. The ball is up on the Broncs’ side and junior outside hitter Kiannisha Santiago aims her kill towards Quinnipiac’s freshman libero Carola Negron Diaz.
She hits the ball up and junior setter Damla Gunes sends it flying to her right side — where graduate student opposite Elena Giacomini is already waiting.
She slams the ball into Rider’s block. It goes flying into the stands and the Bobcats collapse on the court in elation.
25-22 in fourth.
3-1 in sets.
And for the third season in a row Quinnipiac volleyball advances to the MAAC Championship game.
“It’s great, it’s awesome,” head coach Kyle Robinson said. “This is what we work hard for, this is where we want to be.”
And work hard the Bobcats did — the Broncs weren’t going to let them take that win so easily. Despite dominating the first set 25-15, Rider came out swinging in the second and thir, losing and winning them 28-26 and 25-23 respectively.
“It’s a game of momentum,” Robinson said. “I find myself to be pretty patient, with knowing that we are going to create points, especially from our serve. It’s nothing unexpected.”
Rider went three-for-four on challenges tonight, one of which won it the third set.
“It was definitely frustrating but also acceptable because it was their last (possible) choice and we kind of allowed them to get to that point,” Yagmur Gunes said. “After we lost the set, we got really fired up.”
Unfortunately for the Broncs, the Bobcats were the clear favorites of the game. Not only were they the higher seed after going 15-3 in the conference, but their players came into the tournament well-decorated.
Negron Diaz, who also somehow recorded a kill in the game, earned her spot on the All-MAAC Rookie Team while Giacomini and Damla Gunes were both named to the All-MAAC First Team.
The latter two also made history — with Damla Gunes earning the first ever back-to-back Setter of the Year and Giacomini being named Quinnipiac’s first ever MAAC Player of the Year, which she cemented with her 28 kills, 18 digs and three block assists.
“Twenty eight kills is off the charts and I’m not surprised,” Robinson said. “(Giacomini) is a true teammate, a true pro. It is cool, but I’m not surprised.”
Yagmur Gunes wasn’t far behind her with her 21 kills either but she shined in her own way on Saturday, with six block assists and one solo block.
“Before coming here, we were working really hard on our blocking,” Yagmur Gunes said. “So I think that really affected how I performed today.”
Senior opposite Alexandra Tennon, junior middle blocker Bailey Brashear and sophomore outside hitter Leilani-kai Giusta all tied with four kills and it was Giusta who dominated on serve, earning back-to-back aces and forcing Rider into time-out multiple times.
Quinnipiac now looks towards tomorrow, for yet another championship matchup against Fairfield at 1 p.m.
“We earned this win tonight, but this win is over and now we got another one to hunt down,” Robinson said. “We’re gonna get some rest, get up and do it all again tomorrow.”
