Union College Athletics

SCHENECTADY, NY -- Freshman outside hitter Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, NY) was named the Most Valuable Player of the regional and had 22 killsand 14 digs to lead SUNY New Paltz to a 3-2 win over Fredonia State in the Championship Match of the 2008 NCAA Division III Union Regional at Union College's Viniar Athletic Center Saturday night. The Hawks, 32-9, won the regional title in their first ever NCAA appearance, while Fredonia, also in the tourney for the first time, finishes 29-10. Match scores for the New Paltz triumph were 24-26, 25-23, 26-24, 25-14 and 15-11.

Junior middle hitter Brittany Coyle (Middletown, NY) and junior setter Stephanie Bova (Central Square, NY) joined DiGiovanna on the All Regional Team. Coyle had 16 kills and Bova dished out 56 assists with 12 digs for the Hawks in the tourney title victory. Senior liberto Nicole Mercadante (Baldwinsville, NY) led the defensive effort with 25 digs and junior right side Lauren Hogue (Burnt Hills, NY) added 13 digs.

Fredonia featured two all tournament players, senior outside hitter Leanne Maloney (West Seneca, NY) and senor outside hitter Amy Bertrando (Westfield, NY). Maloney had 20 digs with 15 kills and Bertrando finsihed the match with 17 kills. Freshman libero Sarah Zureck (Lancaster, NY) had a team high 22 digs and sophomore middle blocker Kaitlin Erdmann (Randolph, NY) added 11 kills.

This was the third meeting between the two schools who compete in the SUNYAC (State University of New York Athletic Conference). The Hawks won 3-0 on October 31 at the Vassar Tournament but Fredonia, the host of the SUNYAC Tournament, won the league championship 3-0 over the Hawks on November 8.

The first set featured a see saw match with one four point lead, 15-11 Fredonia, and the Blue Devils won by two, 26-24, In the second set, it was equally tight as
the teams had three point leads only twice, 3-0 Fredonia and 22-19 New Paltz as the Hawks won 25-23. The Blue Devils won 26-24 in the third set, snapping a 24-24 tie with a kill by Maloney and a service ace by Samantha Prudente. Set four featured a strong run by New Paltz, taking a 7-7 lead and scoring nine staight for a 16-7 lead en route to a 25-14 win. The fifth set was a 15-11 New Patlz triumph, as the Hawks jumped out to a 5-1 lead and never tailed, leading by as many as eight (13-5).

New Paltz will advance to the National Quarterfinals, November 20 at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois.