Volleyball holds on for 5-set win over Sage

Albany- Sage would battle back from two sets down but MCLA would hold on to win what proved to be a thrilling five set nonconference decision tonight at the Kahl Campus Center 28-26, 25-13, 22-25, 20-25, 16-14. With the win MCLA improves to 11-5 while Sage falls to 4-17.

The Trailblazers would fight off two set points before claiming the first set 28-26 and would cruise in the second set taking it 25-13.

Sage would be in control for most of the third set but would be forced to hold off a late MCLA run avoiding the sweep with a 25-22 set win.

After taking a 4-3 lead in the fourth set, the Gators would not trail again finishing off the Trailblazers by a score of 25-20 and by doing so even the match at two-sets apiece.

Trailing 9-6 in the final stanza, MCLA would grind out a 5-0 run that included a Chloie Garber (Eagle River, AK) kill and ace as well as 2 Anais Badio (Las Vegas, NV) kills. But Sage would answer, and a Riley Gray (Bombay, NY) service ace would give the Gators a match point at 14-13. Julia Graham's (Chittenango, NY) kill would extend the match for MCLA and two Gator errors later, the set would belong to the Trailblazers 16-14, as would the match 3 sets to 2.

Sage was led by junior Sydney Shepard (Canajoharie, NY) and graduate student Celia Gagnon (Troy, NY) who both had 15 kills, senior Elaina Moisidis (Albany, NY) who finished with a game-high 32 digs and junior Riley Gray who chipped in a career-high 18 digs.

First year Elizabeth Brown (Lee, MA) would lead the Trailblazers with 19 kills and 16 digs while sophomore Chloie Garber finished with 14 kills and 15 digs. First year's Anais Badio (11 kills, 7 digs and 4 aces) and Shannon O'Brien (Unionville, CT) (42 assists and 9 digs) both were instrumental in the win. Sophomore Ellie Walter-Goodspeed (Auburn, WA) would finish with a team-high 21 digs.

Sage returns to action a week from tonight for an Empire 8 matchup with Elmira. MCLA will next host MASCAC rival Worcester State on Tuesday at 6pm.