Volleyball Heads to the Postseason for First Time Since 2016

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – For the first time since 2016, the Union College women’s volleyball team has qualified for the Liberty League Tournament and the sixth-seeded Dutchwomen will head to third-seeded William Smith College for the first round of the postseason on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE: For those that can’t make it to Geneva, William Smith will offer live stats and live video for Tuesday’s match.
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Union is making its fifth appearance in the Liberty League Tournament since the postseason switched to its current qualification format in 2011, having posted a 2-4 record in four previous appearances (2013-16). Union is 30-39 all-time in Liberty League Tournament play, including back-to-back Liberty League titles in 2007 and 2008 that saw Union go 4-0 each season.
 
UNION VS. WILLIAM SMITH: Union and William Smith have a long history that dates all the way back to 10 days ago. The Herons are in their first year as a varsity program.
 
LAST MEETING: These two teams closed out Union’s conference slate on October 22, with the Herons posting a 3-0 (25-8, 25-9, 25-14) win in Geneva. Playing without first-year Shannon McGrath, Union recorded only 19 kills as a team, with junior Keara Page leading the squad with seven. Malya Sayre put down a match-high 12 kills on .500 hitting for the home team.
 
1K FOR KRESCH: Senior Haley Kresch became the 11th player in program history to record 1,000 career assists on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Plattsburgh State University, doing so in just three seasons. The senior setter has increased her assist total in every season at Union, culminating with a career-high and team-best 478 assists so far as a senior. She needs only nine assists to pass Kim Armstrong ’13 and move into the top-10 all-time at Union.
 
FIRST-YEAR FORCE: First-year Shannon McGrath leads Union in kills and service aces despite missing six matches (24 sets) this year. She is the only player in the top-four of the Liberty League in kills per set (3.55) and aces per set (0.62), ranking third in both categories. averaged 4.3 kills per set on .360 hitting and 3.25 digs per set in first three conference matches before missing the next four.
 
SHE’D BE HONORED: McGrath has earned a trio of Liberty League weekly honors so far this season. She was named conference Player of the Week on…