In the SUNYAC Championship weekend, the Knights had unfinished business that they were hoping to settle with the Golden Eagles of SUNY Brockport. In 2016, the Golden Eagles defeated the Knights for the SUNYAC Championship and, unfortunately, history repeated itself last weekend.
On Friday Nov. 8 the Knights opened championship weekend in the semifinals against SUNY Oneonta. Geneseo senior outside hitter Grace Cergol totaled 16 kills and 13 digs to help her team to a 3-1 match victory over the visiting Red Dragons. Ending with a 15-11 run, Oneonta gained the lead over Geneseo following a 10-10 tie and secured the first set. Following the close first set, the Knights were able to capitalize on a 10-1 run in the second, emphasized by seven-consecutive points on the serve by senior outside hitter Abby May. In the fourth and final set, Oneonta put up a considerable fight bringing the score to 23-21, but two errors sealed the Geneseo victory.
Junior outside hitter Alex Frank had herself a game with 13 kills and four service aces, while junior middle hitter Keirsten Colvin had four blocks and first-year setter Grace Thomas had 33 assists. The Knights ended the match with a .168 hitting percentage, seven blocks, 66 digs and eight aces compared to Oneonta’s .068 hitting percentage, seven blocks, 54 digs and four aces. This victory moved the Knights onto a Saturday night match on Nov. 9 against the Golden Eagles for the SUNYAC Championship.
Geneseo fell short to visiting Brockport three sets to one in the SUNYAC Championship match in Schrader Gymnasium; it was the team’s second-consecutive and fifth overall appearance in the championship match. The Knights put up a valiant effort, tying the first set at 11-11 before giving up a big run. The Knights bounced back, however, and won the second 25-20. The Golden Eagles easily won the third set and overcame an early Geneseo lead in the fourth to win the SUNYAC Championship with a final set score of 25-19. Senior libero Sam Mendelsohn compiled 12 digs, while Frank added 11. Geneseo ended the match with a .176 hitting percentage, five blocks, 54 digs and seven aces. Brockport, on the other hand, ended the match with a .300 hitting percentage, six blocks, 57 digs and eight aces.
From Geneseo, Cergol and Mendelsohn were both named to the Women’s Volleyball All-Tournament Team. Mendelsohn described her feelings on the weekend, “The season didn’t end how we wanted it to, but the team made so much progress and we are still very proud of how far we have come.”
When asked what the best piece of advice she could give to the players that will return next fall, Mendelsohn said, “I think the biggest piece of advice I would give is to just live in the moment and soak it all up while you can. This program has completely changed from what it was five or six years ago, and this new precedent that has been set continues to be carried on. Keep working hard, stay humble and don’t stop chasing that SUNYAC Championship banner.”
To end the interview, Mendelsohn was asked if there were any special “thank you’s” the senior wanted to make. “I’d like to thank Angelo, our head athletic trainer, for always being so incredibly supportive,” she said. “He was always there when I was physically injured or when I needed someone to talk to. I am so appreciative for all of his time and effort and am going to miss him so incredibly much once I graduate.”