Playoff Volleyball and Quinnipiac- An Annual Tradition
- Ryan Holden
- Mar 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 29
Some games feel like they’re building toward something bigger.
This was one of them.
The MAAC Semifinals. Quinnipiac vs. Rider. A spot in the championship on the line. Being there to cover it for QBSN, you could feel how much this one meant before the first serve even went up. It wasn’t just another match—it was everything the season had been leading toward. It was a chance at redemption, a chance to be one step closer to earning the MAAC title- a feat that fell one win short for the Bobcats the season prior.
Quinnipiac came in as the two seed, with a strong regular season behind them and real expectations of making a run. And early on, they looked like a team ready to do exactly that.
They controlled the first set. Clean execution, good communication, and the kind of confidence you expect from a team in that position. They took it 25-17, and from the sideline, it felt like they had settled in quickly and were dictating the match.
But postseason matches don’t stay that simple.
Rider responded in the second set, and that’s where the match started to shift. Quinnipiac had chances to take control again, even battling back to tie it late, but Rider found a way to close it out 25-23. It was one of those sets where a couple of points either way completely changes the direction of the match.
That’s something you really notice when you’re there in person. It’s not just about who wins the set—it’s about how it happens. The runs, the energy, the reactions after each point. And after that second set, you could feel the momentum starting to lean.
The third set moved quickly. Quinnipiac struggled to find the same rhythm, while Rider took advantage and built a lead early. Before it really felt like the Bobcats could reset, they were down in the match 2-1. At that point, the match became about response.
Quinnipiac tried to find their momentum again in the fourth set. Adjustments were made, rotations shifted, and there were moments where it looked like they might just push it to a fifth set. But Rider stayed composed and continued to apply pressure, eventually closing out the fourth set and the match by a 9 point margin.
Just like that, it was over.
A 3-1 loss, and the season came to an end.
After the match, head coach Kyle Robinson was honest about what made the difference.
“We just didn’t play hungry enough,” he said.
From the outside, it wasn’t a lack of effort—it was how small moments added up over time. In matches like this, it’s rarely one thing. It’s a handful of points, a couple of runs, and how those moments stack against you.
Quinnipiac still had strong individual performances. Elena Giacomini led the way with 20 kills, continuing the consistency she showed all season. Damla Gunes added 28 assists, keeping the offense moving, and there were contributions across the lineup.
But in a match like this, timing matters.
When momentum shifts. When opportunities are there. And whether you can take advantage of them.
From my perspective, being there and covering it, this match felt different than others I covered that season.
Not because of the level of play, but because of what it meant at the end. You could feel it after the final point—not just that the match was over, but that the season was too, and even players careers were over in a heartbreaking fashion.
For a group that included five graduating players, that moment carries even more weight. It’s not just the end of a match or a run, it’s the end of something they’ve built together. With the loss of Giacomini- a standout player since her graduate transfer in 2024 and the loss of the Gunes sisters- both of whom who earned tremendous accolades over their four seasons with the Bobcats, Quinnipiac Volleyball will turn to it's underclassmen to bring home the MAAC title in 2026.
And that’s the part that sticks with you. Not just the sets. Not just the score. But everything that came with it. Quinnipiac had reached the MAAC Final in the 3 consecutive seasons prior, notably earning the automatic bid to the National Tournament in 2022. As with any annual tradition, Quinnipiac Volleyball and the playoffs will return.
