ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick volleyball (4-13, 0-2 E8) hosted an Empire 8 Conference Crossover on Saturday at Lambros Arena. The Hawks lost a four-set match to Nazareth (10-6, 2-1 E8) and a three-setter to Elmira (7-5, 1-2 E8) to start the Empire 8 slate 0-2.
           
'Wick fell to the Golden Flyers, 17-25, 18-25, 26-24, 16-25. In the opening two sets, the Golden Flyers pulled away late to grab a 2-0 advantage.
           
In the third set, three points was the largest advantage by either team. The score was tied 15 times with the lead changing hands on six occasions. With the score tied at 24-24, a pair of Hartwick kills from Rachel Jones (West Charlton, NY/Galway) and Hannah Armstrong (Lansing, NY/Lansing) gave the set to the Hawks and they cut the deficit to 2-1. Naz grabbed a 4-3 edge in the fourth set and never looked back, leading by as many as 10 in a 25-16 win to close out the match.
           
Armstrong led all players with 22 kills. She also contributed a team-high 13 digs. Jones added nine kills for 'Wick. Jamie Reidy (Elmira, NY/Horseheads) recorded 24 assists with Alyssa Zeitler (Chardon, OH/Berkshire) making it into double figures in digs with 11. Ashley Werner (Saugeeties, NY/Saugerties) contributed eight digs for the Hawks.
           
Cady Messmer (14) and Jennifer Hicks (13) led the Golden Flyers offensively in kills. Maureen Thayer dished out 30 assists. Messmer also had a match-high 15 digs.
           
In the Hawks' second match, they dropped the opening two sets before battling in the third, 18-25, 16-25, 22-25. EC earned a double-digit lead, 17-7, before 'Wick began clawing its way back. Five of the next six points went the way of the Hawks forcing a Soaring Eagle timeout. They trimmed it to three, 21-18, and the visitors were forced to call another timeout.
           
Kills from Quincy Kinzel (Scotia, NY/Guilderland) and Armstrong made the deficit two points, 22-20. Armstrong later made it 23-22 with her 13^th kill of the match but a Hartwick service error followed by an ace from EC's Taylor Kaznowski gave the victory to the Soaring Eagles.
           
Armstrong registered her second double-double of the day with 11 digs to go along with her match-high 13 kills. Zeitler equaled Armstrong with 11 digs. Rosa Maun (Redstone, CO/Roaring Fork) had six digs for 'Wick.
           
Natalie Schieder and Kelsey Ross each recorded 10 kills for Elmira. Kaznowski delivered 27 assists.
           
Hartwick stays in conference play on Tuesday, September 29 when it visits Utica College. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m.