FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Albany State University women's volleyball team saw its impressive postseason run come to an end Thursday afternoon as the Lady Golden Rams fell to Spring Hill College, 3-1 (25-17, 18-25, 13-25, 23-25), in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Championship match at the Health and Physical Education Complex.
Albany State (26-9, 18-1 SIAC) entered the championship riding a 17-match winning streak and looking to capture the conference title. Despite taking the opening set, the Lady Golden Rams were unable to hold off a strong response from Spring Hill.
The Lady Golden Rams came out firing in the opening set, recording 12 kills on 21 attempts with just two errors for an impressive .476 hitting percentage. Albany State controlled the momentum early and secured a 25-17 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Spring Hill responded in the second set, recording 19 kills to even the match with a 25-18 victory. The Badgers carried that momentum into the third set, holding Albany State to a .069 hitting percentage while claiming a 25-13 win to take a 2-1 advantage.
Facing elimination in the fourth set, the Lady Golden Rams continued to battle. Albany State improved its offensive efficiency, hitting .375 with 11 kills and just two errors. However, Spring Hill answered with 19 kills and a .441 hitting percentage, narrowly securing the set 25-23 to clinch the conference championship.
Senior outside hitter Jarianis Perez led the Lady Golden Rams offensively with a team-high 16 kills on 39 attempts, finishing with a .308 hitting percentage. Perez also contributed five digs, one service ace and two block assists for a team-high 18 points.
Aleiah Carr provided another strong offensive performance, recording nine kills on 20 attempts while hitting .300. Amiria Anderson added five kills and one solo block, while Shaniya Banks and Maya Ogbogu each contributed four kills. Ogbogu also recorded four block assists.
Albany State's setting duo of Trinity Britt and Liannette Burgos combined for 29 assists, with Britt finishing with 15 and Burgos adding 14. Defensively, senior libero Myra Lopez led the Lady Golden Rams with 11 digs, while Burgos contributed nine.
As a team, Albany State finished with 39 kills, 37 assists, 42 digs and eight total team blocks while posting a .248 hitting percentage.
Spring Hill (24-8, 19-0 SIAC) was led by Samaya Hennessy, who recorded a match-high 19 kills. Claire Hayes followed with 16 kills, while Bailey Bevolo added 11. The Badgers finished with 62 kills and a .301 hitting percentage.
Despite the loss, the Lady Golden Rams conclude an impressive postseason run that included 17 consecutive victories and an appearance in the SIAC Championship match. Albany State finishes the 2026 season with a 26-9 overall record and an 18-1 mark in conference play. Under head coach Verniece Graham, the Lady Golden Rams continued to establish themselves as one of the conference's top programs, showcasing determination, resilience and a commitment to excellence throughout the season. Albany State will look to build on this year's success as the program turns its attention to the 2027 season.
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 12 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, baseball, and football, with all teams competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
