Union College Athletics

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior Maddie McCarron recorded the most total blocks in a single match in the Liberty League this season with 10 as the Union College women's volleyball team defeated Skidmore College 3-1 on Friday night inside Viniar Athletic Center. 

McCarron produced only the seventh double-digit block match from a Liberty League player over the last five seasons. The Union (12-7, 1-2 Liberty League) middle blocker also had a 10-block performance against the Thoroughbreds (8-7, 0-3 Liberty League) last season. McCarron's seven block assists and three block solos on Friday give her 45 in total on the year, which is the third most in the conference. 

McCarron had three block assists in the first set, including two on a 7-0 rally to start the evening. Her performance at the net along with junior Kayla Martinez Cartagena and senior Erin Stevens helped hold Skidmore to a -0.04 attack percentage in the first and propel Union to a 25-13 first-set win. 

The Garnet Chargers were two points away from taking a demanding 2-0 lead in the match and had a four-point rally to get to 23-22, featuring stout defense and kills from first-year Johanna Melhorn, sophomore Shea Ringel, and Martinez Cartagena. However, Skidmore persevered to a 26-24 win in the second to knot things up. 

McCarron and Melhorn both had four kills in the third set, and eight Garnet Chargers in total put down at least one winner in a 25-21 third-set victory for Union. 

The Garnet Chargers found success at the service line all night, earning 14 aces, including six in the fourth and final set. Kronenberg led the way with four aces, and junior Madisen Bailey, Ringel, and McCarron all had three apiece. It marked McCarron's most aces in a single match since she was a first-year (4 vs SUNY Oneonta).

With Skidmore trailing 13-12 in the fourth, a pair of Thoroughbred attack errors forced a timeout from the Skidmore bench. Skidmore went on a 7-5 run after the timeout, and Union responded with a timeout of its own at 21-19. Skidmore did not score another point after Union called a break in the action. Thanks to a Skidmore service error, an ace from Ringel, and then back-to-back kills from Martinez Cartagena, Union secured the 3-1 conference win and its fourth victory in a row. 

First-year Charlotte Pernisie led the team with 14 digs, marking a single-match season-high for the rookie from West Newton, Mass. As a team, the Garnet Chargers hit .323, giving them a third consecutive match over .300. Union's 55 kills were also a single-match season-high. Ringel hit .700 on 10 swings without an error, Melhorn recorded eight kills, and Martinez Cartagena led the way again with 14 kills of her own. 

The Garnet Chargers look to close out their homestand on a high note on Saturday, Oct. 10 when they take on Clarkson at 2 p.m.