POTSDAM, N.Y. – Senior
Shannon McGrath put down a match-high 17 kills as the Union College women's volleyball team completed a perfect weekend in the North Country with a 3-0 (28-26, 25-16, 25-17) sweep of Clarkson University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gymnasium.
With the win, Union (16-8, 5-1 Liberty League) moves into a tie for second place with William Smith College and clinches a top-three seed in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament for the first time since 2016 with two matches remaining in conference play.
McGrath recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 12 digs to go with her 17 kills and match-best three service aces. She was joined in double figures by first-year
Shea Ringel with 12 kills and nine digs, while sophomore
Allie Kronenberg also just missed a double-double with 42 assists and nine digs. Senior
Georgia Pool led the team with 19 digs and classmate
Emma Main added 10 as part of an excellent defensive effort.
Union started off the opening set on a 7-1 run and, despite six ties, did not trail until Clarkson took a 20-19 lead. The visitors went on a 5-2 mini-run to bring up a pair of set points at 24-22, but the home team fought off both points to keep the set alive. The Golden Knights successfully fended off four set points overall before a McGrath kill and a Clarkson error gave the visitors the crucial first set.
The Garnet Chargers again jumped out to an early lead in the middle frame by taking eight of the first 11 points, helped by four McGrath kills. The visitors never allowed Clarkson to get closer than three points for the remainder of the set, closing on an 11-5 run to take a two-set advantage.
Clarkson grabbed an early lead in the third set and hung around for the first half of the frame, trailing by one at 15-14 before Union shut the door with a 10-3 stretch, highlighted by three kills and an ace from McGrath.
Union finished the afternoon hitting .254 with 50 kills on 126 attempts, while limiting Clarkson to .089 hitting and just 31 kills.
The Garnet Chargers will continue Liberty League play on Wednesday with a match against Bard College set for 7 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.
