ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick fought back to cut a 2-0 deficit in half, but visiting Sage College took the final set to secure a 3-1 (19-25, 22-25, 25-19, 22-25) victory Thursday night at Lambros Arena. The loss for the Hawks puts them at 9-17 overall for the year, while the Gators improve to 15-7.
           
Kayla Baril (Seekonk, MA/Seekonk) paced Hartwick with 14 kills. Quincy Kinzel (Scotia, NY/Guilderland) recorded 36 assists and Hannah Armstrong (Lansing, NY/Lansing) and Alyssa Zeitler (Chardon, OH/Berkshire) each registered 14 digs for the Hawks.
           
In the opening set, 'Wick trailed 13-12 following an Armstrong ace, but the Gators would out-score the Hawks 9-2 over the next 11 points to take a 22-14 lead. Four straight Hartwick points trimmed the margin to four, but Sage got three of the final four points for a 25-19 win.
           
Hartwick led for virtually the entire way in the second set. The Hawks would lead by as many as six points, 20-14, and were just five points from evening the match at one set apiece. Sage had other ideas as it rallied for 11 of the next 12 points for a 25-21 win and a two sets to none advantage.
           
'Wick responded in the third set to make it a 2-1 match. The game was even at 8-8 before a Kinzel kill would put the Hawks in front to stay. Hartwick was ahead 17-12 before Sage closed the gap to just two points, 19-17. Four straight points went to Hartwick and the Hawks by seven once again, 24-17. Armstrong closed it out with a kill for a 25-19 win.
           
A Rachel Jones' (West Charlton, NY/Galway) kill gave the Hawks a 6-2 edge in set number four. The Gators would tie the score 8-8 and two points or less would separate the two teams until the final point. The score was tied 10 times with the lead changing hands on eight occasions. A Rosa Maun (Redstone, CO/Roaring Fork) kill gave the Hawks their final lead, 20-19. Sage got the next two before 'Wick tied it for the last time, 21-21. The Gators would secure four the last five points to take the set, 25-22, for a 3-1 victory.
           
Jones finished the match with seven kills and three blocks. Armstrong recorded six kills, three aces, and three blocks to go along with her 14 digs. Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) and Maun each had five kills. Kinzel notched seven digs and three service aces.
           
Hartwick is off until Friday, October 23 when it hosts Stevens in a 7 p.m. Empire 8 Conference match.