Box | Final season stats | Tournament site | Nazareth press conference
POTSDAM, N.Y. -- Host and third-seeded Clarkson overcame an early deficit Friday against sixth-seeded Nazareth to defeat the Golden Flyers in a four-set women's volleyball match at Clarkson's Alumni Gymnasium. Scores were 25-27, 25-18, 25-23, 25-13.
 
The match came in the first round of the NCAA Division III New York Regional Tournament and ended the Golden Flyers' season with a 22-15 record. Clarkson improved to 29-6 overall and advanced to Saturday's semifinals to play Middlebury. It marked the second year in a row that the Golden Knights eliminated the Golden Flyers in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Sophomore Maria Allocco led the Golden Flyers with 10 kills and nine blocks. Senior Amy Johnson added nine kills and five blocks and senior libero Brittany Crocetti amassed 20 digs.
 
"It was an emotional match," said Nazareth Coach Cal Wickens. "We came out pretty fired up and we played hard, but it just didn't fall our way tonight."

Nazareth took the first set 27-25, overcoming three set points as Allocco had four kills and four blocks as Nazareth hit .243 overall (15-6-37). The set was tied at 25-25, but Nazareth scored the last two points on a kill by sophomore Olivia Harrigan and a service ace by Crocetti.
 
Clarkson won the second set 25-18 by going on a seven-point scoring run to turn a 14-14 deadlock into a 21-14 lead.
 
In the pivotal third set, Nazareth rallied to tie the set at 23-23, but Clarkson secured the final two points on a Nazareth service error and an ace by Clarkson's Lani Durio.

Nazareth hit a respectable .155 (41-23-116) for the match, but couldn't overcome 15 service errors. Clarkson had 13 service aces in the match and was led by Adrienne Walker's 16 kills and Victoria Kirkemo's 14. Durio had 37 assists.

Other stats for Nazareth included 37 assists for senior Aubrey Cooke and seven kills each for sophomores Kassandra Buseck, Chelsea Beecher and Harrigan.

"It was a tough match to lose," said Johnson, who along with Cooke and Crocetti was playing in her final match. "I'm proud of every moment and proud of everything that we accomplished."