KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — The 2023 Keuka College Women's Volleyball season ended on Saturday as the Wolves lost the Empire 8 Championship match to Alfred University in four sets at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center.
Keuka College (20-7, 6-2 Empire 8) was led by
Dayna Edholm with 17 kills.
Camey Knapp,
Megan McCann, and
Nina Scott each added nine kills for the Wolves.
#5 Alfred University 3 at #3 Keuka College 1 – 25-16, 20-25, 26-24, 25-22
The Wolves fed off the energy of the crowd as the scored the first three points of the match. However, Alfred answered with four right back. The Saxons led 9-6 over Keuka. The Wolves were unable to get a run going in the first set. The Wolves took a timeout down 11-18. The Saxons closed out the first 25-16.
The loss of the opening set did not deter the Wolves. Keuka College scored the first five points of the second set for early control. A kill by
Megan McCann gave Keuka a 10-5 lead and the Saxons took a timeout a point later.
Camey Knapp dunked the ball at the net to make it 13-5 in favor the Wolves. Alfred cut the game closer later in the set, but Keuka would lead throughout as the Wolves leveled the match, winning the second set 25-20.
The two teams traded points early in the third set. The Wolves took a 6-4 lead on a kill by
Nina Scott. That later pushed to four points. The Saxons cut back in but Keuka responded. A kill by
Camey Knapp gave the Wolves a five-point lead at 15-10. The Keuka lead peaked at 6, but the Saxons rallied late. They went on a run as Alfred scored six of the final seven points in the set. The Saxons won the third 26-24 to lead the match two sets to one.
It was once again a close start as the fourth set was tied 6-6. A kill by
Megan McCann tied the set at 9-9 and the Wolves went on a small run.
Nina Scott pushed the lead to 12-9, but Alfred scored three straight to tie the set, forcing the Wolves into a timeout. An ace by
Kendra Waltz gave Keuka a 14-12 lead and a second ace pushed the lead to 16-12. A kill by
Megan McCann forced the Saxons to use a timeout trailing 20-18. The match would later be tied at 21-21. An ace by
Meghan Johnson gave Keuka the 22-21 lead, but the Saxons closed strong again, scoring the final four points to win the fourth set 25-22 and take the conference championship.
KC Notes:
- The series between Keuka College and Alfred University is the most-played in Keuka College Women's Volleyball history. Saturday was the 57th meeting. Keuka leads the series 29-28
- Keuka College was playing in their first ever Empire 8 Conference Championship and sixth overall
- With her 17 kills, Dayna Edholm finished the season with 404 kills, second-most in program history behind only Renee Baumgartner who hit 450 in the 1998 season
- Casey Hunziker had 39 assists for the Wolves
- Kendra Waltz led at the service line with four aces for the Wolves
- Dayna Edholm led Keuka with 16 digs in the loss. Senior libero Emma Sipos was right behind her with 15 digs on the day
