Women's Volleyball | 9/16/2016 11:42:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
HOBOKEN, NJ – The Hartwick volleyball team began play at the Ducks Classic hosted by conference foe, Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday. At the conclusion of day one at Canavan Arena, the Hawks went 0-2 after dropping three sets to both Stevens and non-conference opponent Arcadia. They now stand at 4-5 (0-1 Empire 8) on the season.

For the first match of the afternoon, both teams were on even footing to start though Stevens managed to clutch a slight edge, 9-8. An Alyssa Zeitler (Chardon, OH/Berkshire) service error would be the first point awarded to Stevens to suspend the exchange of points and ultimately spark a 7-0 run for the host. Hartwick would post assists from Jamie Reidy (Elmira, NY/Horseheads) off of feeds to Rachel Jones (West Charlton, NY/Galway) and Hannah Armstrong (Lansing, NY/Lansing). However, with far too many more errors and a strong Stevens offense, the Hawks would not be able to hold on much longer and would lose the introductory set, 25-13.

Stevens replicated another convincing run to put them in control early winning five straight points to lead 9-5 in the second set. The run concluded on a service error from Christina Sciarra but Hartwick was unable to build off of their opponent's mistake. Stevens would again claim five consecutive points, 14-6 before a kill from Rosa Maun (Redstone, CO/Roaring Fork) resulted in a faulty block attempt by Brianna Perez. Now behind nine, 'Wick called for break, 18-9.

Out of the intermission, Nicole Wyse (Manchester, CT/South Windsor) connected on a kill from Reidy and shortly after would benefit from a Ducks' service error. Unfortunately, there were no more scoring plays for the Hawks and they would go down, 25-11 and 2-0 on sets.

In an effort to avoid a sweep, the Hawks won seven of the first nine points to start the third segment. Stevens got the service back on two wrongdoings by Hartwick, 7-4. A kill from Armstrong through the middle and beyond cover from Stevens' backline would add to the Hawks lead, 9-4. Hartwick would follow up with a 4-2 spurt until a play on the net went in favor of Mary Tobins. Stevens would not only chip away at the Hartwick lead on four kills and an Armstrong attack error but garner a slight control 14-13.

Later in the set, Stevens' Casey King would land a kill down Hartwick's sideline to give them a late one- point lead, 21-20 forcing 'Wick to regroup. Armstrong would gather another kill on a read from Reidy to deadlock the score but Stevens would answer with two more points. Sydni Horner found her service too long and prolonged the set. Unfortunately, that would be the last point in 'Wick's favor and Stevens would put the set away 25-22 and the match in three sets.

The second match of the evening saw a close first-set battle. At the 8-5 mark in favor of Hartwick, Arcadia rallied behind four kills and an Armstrong attack error to spring a 5-0 run. Neither team held onto an advantage exceeding a four-point margin until the 24-17 mark on behalf of Arcadia.  A service ace for Ashley Smatko (Fort Edward, NY/South Glens Falls) and attack error by Arcadia would lengthen the set but it would still conclude in the opposition's favor, 25-22.
Arcadia moved out to a 7-3 start in the second segment. Hartwick would go on to even the footing on a four-point surge. In response, the Knights would win the next eight points and credit a lead the Hawks could not combat and sailed to a 25-15 second-set score.

In the third set, Hartwick never led. Arcadia jumped out to a 12-6 advantage leading to a Hartwick timeout. Both teams would swap points for the next five sequences but then Arcadia produced five consecutive points to increase to a ten-point lead, 19-9. Unable to sustain Arcadia's momentum, the Hawks would endure another run by the foe eventually giving them the set 25-13 and match.

Maun and Armstrong led the Hawks with seven kills each in both matches. Reidy concluded the first contest with 22 assists to lead the Hawks while Erin Russell (Wantagh, NY/Seaford) snagged the team-high assists of 10 in the second match.  Ashley Werner (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) registered 12 digs against the Ducks to spearhead her team with Zeitler collecting 11 against the Knights.

Volleyball will look to bounce back tomorrow in its final match of the Ducks Classic. NYU will take the court with Hartwick at 11 a.m.