HAMILTON – For the first time since 2012, the Colgate volleyball team is hoisting the Patriot League trophy.
 
The Raiders faced a tall task in defeating American, which has won the conference championship 16 times in the last 20 years. Head Coach Ryan Baker guided Colgate past the Eagles three times this season, but none were bigger than Sunday's 3-1 title victory.
 
Colgate stormed through the Patriot League tournament, taking down sixth-seeded Navy in four sets on Saturday before flying past the fourth-seeded Eagles in the title match.
 
The championship is Colgate's sixth all-time and Baker's second.
 
A total team effort fueled the Raiders to victory. Libby Overmyer led the way in kills with 16, while Alli Lowe posted her second consecutive double-double with 15 kills and 13 digs. Lowe also had two service aces, tied with Cami Carfino and Taylor Cigna for the team lead.
 
Julia Kurowski had 42 assists on Sunday and 89 for the tournament to earn MVP honors. She also added 12 digs for her second straight double-double. Carfino and Sophie Thompson, who paced the Raiders with four blocks, joined Kurowski on the All-Tournament team.
 
Set 1: Colgate 25, American 21
After neither team led by more than a point early on, American scored three straight to build a 13-10 lead. Immediately out of a Colgate timeout the Raiders stole the momentum with a 7-0 scoring run. Athena Leota rattled off a block and a kill during the stretch to give Colgate a 17-13 lead. American closed the gap to 20-19, but back-to-back aces by Lowe sewed up the first set.

Set 2: American 25, Colgate 19
American was the first team to get going in the second set, using a 4-0 spurt to build an early 7-2 lead. Colgate came out of its timeout and scored three straight thanks to an ace by Cigna, but the Eagles' lead remained at five (15-10) on a block by Inbal Peleg and then again at 23-18. Colgate scored the next point but could never quite catch American in the 25-19 final score.
 
Set 3: Colgate 25, American 19
Both teams traded points throughout the seesaw third set. With 11 ties, neither side led by more than a point until Colgate used a 6-1 run to turn a 12-12 tie into an 18-13 lead. Overmyer posted two kills and Carfino had an ace to help spark the surge. American trimmed the margin to 22-19 but a block and a kill from Harper Snyder capped off Colgate's 25-19 victory.
 
Set 4: Colgate 25, American 20
The Raiders bolted out front 6-2 and never looked back. A pair of blocks from the defensive side got things going and another kill by Snyder stretched Colgate's lead to 10-5. The margin grew to 20-12 and the championship was all but determined. Overmyer finished things off with a kill from the left side and she was met by a mob of teammates as the Cotterell Court celebration commenced.

FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Ryan Baker

"I'm just so proud of this team. American played a fantastic match and made us earn everything. We found a way to respond again. This team has played their hearts out all season. We battled adversity at different moments throughout the season, but we continued to respond. Our seniors got us this championship and I couldn't be happier for this team."

UP NEXT
With the win, the Raiders claim the Patriot League's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Colgate's destination and opponent will be determined during the NCAA's selection show next Sunday, Nov. 28.