ALFRED, NY – 'Wick volleyball went 0-2 to close out its Empire 8 Conference season with a pair of matches at Alfred University Saturday at the McLane Center. The Hawks lost a 3-0 (14-25, 9-25, 18-25) decision to Houghton in their first match and dropped a 3-1 (25-14, 15-25, 23-25, 23-25) match to the host Saxons in their second.
           
Against the Highlanders, sophomore Hannah Armstrong (Lansing, NY/Lansing) earned a team-high 13 digs. Freshman Ashley Werner (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) added seven with fellow freshman Kayla Baril (Seekonk, MA/Seekonk) contributing six. Sophomore Quincy Kinzel (Scotia, NY/Guilderland) delivered 13 assists.
           
The Hawks controlled the opening set against Alfred. They built leads of 13 points on three separate occasions and closed the set out on top 25-14.
           
The Saxons returned the favor in the second set, building a 21-8 advantage at one point. They would take the set by 10 points, 25-15, and the match was all even at 1-1.
           
In the third, Alfred led by as many as seven points, 16-9, but the Hawks would battle back to trim the deficit to one, 20-19. Four of the next five points would go to the Saxons as they built a 24-20 advantage. Three straight points, including kills from freshman Rosa Maun (Redstone, CO/Roaring Fork) and junior Mary Beth DeCuyke (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown), cut it to one, 24-23. But Alfred went up two sets to one as it scored the decisive point via a kill.
           
'Wick trailed by three points deep into the fourth set, 20-17. A kill and ace apiece from Maun and Baril and then another kill from senior Christine Confer (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) handed the Hawks the lead, 23-22. Three straight Hawk attack errors, however, would give the set and the match to Alfred.
           
Kinzel recorded a double-double with 28 assists and 17 kills for the Hawks. Armstrong added a team-high 21 digs and seven kills and Baril registered 18 digs and seven kills.  
           
Sophomore Alyssa Zeitler (Chardon, OH/Berkshire) notched 18 digs and DeCuyke contributed seven kills.
           
The Hawks will wrap up their 2014 season at the SUNY Oneonta Dig Pink Invitational next weekend. The Hawks open play Friday with matches against St. Lawrence and Hunter.