NCAA Division II East Region Championship Match
New Haven vs. Bridgeport
Saturday, Nov. 22 - 7:00 p.m.
Bridgeport, Conn. - Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium
Game Coverage: Video | Live Stats
Championship Central Website
Complete Match Notes (PDF)
The second-seeded University of New Haven women's volleyball team plays top-seed and host Bridgeport in the NCAA Division II East Region Championship Match Saturday evening at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
The Road to Louisville
The Chargers defeated seventh-seeded Saint Rose and sixth-seeded LIU Post, both in three sets, to reach the Championship match. Bridgeport swept eight-seeded Post on Thursday night and then fifth-seeded Bentley 3-1 last night in the semifinals. The winner of the regional championship will represent the East Region at the 2014 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship ("Elite Eight") in Louisville, Ky. beginning on Thursday, Dec. 4 against the winner of the South Central Regional featuring top seed and host No. 7 Colorado Mesa.
The 2014 New Haven Chargers
The 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Regular Season Co-Champions, the New Haven Chargers enter tonight with a record of 23-8. New Haven is vying for its 13th trip to the NCAA National Quarterfinals and its second Elite Eight appearance in the last three seasons.
Against the East Region Championship Opponents
New Haven is 7-2 against 2014 East Region teams this season. The Chargers and Purple Knights did not meet during the regular season. The Blue and Gold went 1-0 against Stonehill, 1-1 against Adelphi, 0-1 against Bentley, 2-0 over LIU Post and 3-0 against Saint Rose. New Haven did not play eight-seeded Post this year.
All-Time Series - New Haven vs. Bridgeport
The Chargers and Purple Knight did not meet during the regular season this year, the second time in as many years. The all-time series between the two regional powers dates back to New Haven's first season in 1976 and the teams have met nearly every year since then. The Blue and Gold hold a 34-6 record against Bridgeport, including four straight victories. The two most recent meetings have both come in the NCAA postseason and gone in favor of the Chargers. New Haven booted Bridgeport in the 2013 NCAA Division II East Region Championship semifinals and prior to that in the 2012 NCAA Division II East Region Championship Match. Prior to the 2012 and 2013 postseason wins for UNH, Bridgeport had won all three NCAA postseason meetings dating back five years to 2009. Three of the five postseason meetings have been five-set contests.
Throwback - 2012 East Region Champions
Two years ago the Chargers fought off four match-point chances to upend second-seeded Bridgeport, 3-2, and win the 2012 East Region Championship. New Haven, which was the top seed and host of the Championship, also defeated eighth-seeded Dominican (3-0) and fourth-seeded NYIT (3-2) to claim the regional crown. The Chargers were the only 2012 Elite Eight team to play the highest-possible seed in all three regional rounds. Kaulana Ane, Keidy Candelaria, Amber Cannady, Kristen Lee and Kea-Marie Olaso all earned All-Championship laurels for their performances in the three-round regional tournament.
2014 Award Winners
The regular season and postseason awards the Chargers have earned in 2014 are listed below.
Kristy Atufunwa
Second Team Daktronics All-East Region
First Team All-Northeast-10
Northeast-10 All-Championship Team
Northeast-10 Player of the Week (Sept. 30)
Kristen Lee
Second Team All-Northeast-10
Northeast-10 Player of the Week (Oct. 14)
Kaulana Ane
Second Team All-Northeast-10
Northeast-10 Setter of the Week (Oct. 7)
Kea-Marie Olaso
Second Team Daktronics All-East Region
Third Team All-Northeast-10
Two-time Northeast-10 Libero of the Week (Oct. 14, Oct. 28)
For a more extensive history of New Haven volleyball award winners, see page 7 of the game notes
