WALTHAM, Mass. – For the second straight season the University of New Haven Volleyball team returned to the NCAA East Regional as they were set to face a familiar foe in the Panthers of Adelphi University from the Northeast 10. 

The Chargers and Panthers had become familiar foes meeting in top ranked battles, with New Haven coming out in the previous two meetings against Adelphi including the 2023 NE10 Conference Championship match at Adelphi, where first year head coach Ana Pego led the blue and gold to a 3-1 win in the match led by Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) who was named to the All-Conference team along with then setter Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Academia Maria Reina). Now sophomore Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) returns leading the attack for the Chargers having 17 kills in the win and returns leading the Chargers attack in the 2024 season. New Haven welcomed Adelphi to West Haven during the regular season, and once again the blue and gold bested the black and gold 3-1, behind the attack through the middle by Katharine Rank who totalled 17 kills, and Amber Williams (Lilburn, Ga./Brookwood) added 14 kills in the victory. 

As both teams return to the court in the final match of the night and a date with the Falcons of Bentley waiting on Friday night, the Chargers and Panthers squared off in Waltham in the NCAA first round with New Haven looking to avenge their semifinal loss to Bentley in the NE10 tournament and make it three straight against the Panthers.

After scoring the opening point of the first set off a Peyton Mast (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) and Amber Williams (Lilburn, Ga./Brookwood) block, it was Adelphi that took the early lead against New Haven. The Chargers rallied and settled in as Rank stepped into the middle as the blue and golds depth at the middle blocker position began to show rotating in Rank with Williams to change the looks and presence at the net. New Haven took the lead and continued to trade point for point as Tori Borton (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) picked up a big kill to keep the lead for New Haven. The middle continued to be the attack point as Williams picked up a kill to take a two point lead and active hands out of the back line from Payton Malinoski (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) continued to be a defensive standout. A late run by Adelphi forced New Haven to call their first time out of the opening as they trailed by three. Juergens picked up the first kill out of the break and returned to serve, picking up an ace to cut it to a one point set. Late in the set and after a long rally the Chargers and Williams with a big swing cut the lead to a pair but a response by Adelphi forced Pego to use her second timeout as New Haven trailed 23-20 late in the first set. Out of the break the middle and Katharine Rank picked up two huge points on both sides with an opening kill before a block to force a timeout by Adelphi. After a point to get to set point for Adelphi, Rank again came up big for New Haven to make it 24-23 and force Adelphi to use their second timeout of the set, and out of the break Rank continued to assert her strength with a block to tie the set at 24. After a back and forth battle with neither team giving the other any an advantage, the Chargers had their third chance at set point up 29-28 and Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) picked up her sixth kill of the set and won the opening set 30-28 to go up 1-0 in the match behind Juergens six kills along with Ranks three kills and pair of blocks playing major rolls. With first set fireworks, the second set looked for more high scoring affairs and the second set kicked off both teams trading big strikes early, but Adelphi with the early lead. After a breather for Rank, she moved back to the center of the court and resumed her presence from the first but it was Adelphi still holding the lead and forcing the first timeout to be called by New Haven. Three points to the Panthers forced New Haven to use their second timeout trailing by eight and needing a late set run. Peyton Mast (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) picked up a big kill out of the break and looked to use that as a surge for the set. Picking up kills throughout New Haven battled but it was Adelphi taking the second set 25-16 and tied the match at 1-1. The third set saw Adelphi jump out to an early lead, testing New Haven out of their first timeout as Ana Pego looked to get her squad back into rhythm and back on the front foot but it was Adelphi taking the third set, 25-11 as New Haven trailed in the match 2-1. In between sets, and with a fire set New Haven jumped out to an early 6-3 lead, led by Sofia Kamke (Santa Catarina, Brazil/Escola Tecnica do Vale do Itajai) with a pair of kills forcing an early timeout by Adelphi. The middles came alive in the fourth coming up with three early blocks and keeping the momentum rolling as the defense rallied to the ball tracking down the attacks by Adelphi and attack before the Panthers could set. Adelphi used their second timeout trailing by six as New Haven looked to tie the match at 2-2 and carry the momentum into a fifth set. Lauren Mackellar picked up the first kill out of the break to get New Haven to 20 looking for the final five points needed. New Haven held Adelphi at bay late and at set point New Haven forced an attack error by Adelphi to take the fourth 25-16 and force a fifth set. Amber Williams (Lilburn, Ga./Brookwood) opened the scoring up in the fifth with a kill out of the middle as New Haven continued to attack Adelphi through the center. Both teams traded points early but it was New Haven tying the match at seven to force a timeout by Adelphi before taking the lead before switching sides. Adelphi took a late lead leading to New Haven's timeout needing a late run. Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) kick started New Haven out of the break with her 15 kill to cut it within one. Adelphi countered with a run of their own and got to set and match point first. Juergens extended the set with a block but it was the Panthers taking the final point in the set 15-12 as New Haven would fall in the match 3-2. Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) led New Haven with 15 kills as Payton Malinoski (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) had 18 digs and Tori Borton (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) had 26 assists in the match. In Pego's second season New Haven finished 19-11. The Chargers graduate a trio of seniors but will return a core group for next season looking to make another trip to the regionals and make a deep run in the tournament.   All updates postseason news for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.