ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick volleyball evened its overall record to 8-8 on the season and improved to 3-1 in the Empire 8 Conference for the first time in program history on Wednesday night at Lambros Arena. The Hawks won by scores of 25-17, 25-18, and 25-11.
 
Hartwick took control in the opening set as it rattled off seven of eight points, thanks in part to three straight aces from Kaitlyn Ludder (West Sand Lake, NY/Averill Park), to take a 13-5 lead. Sage would narrow the gap to three points five separate times but the Hawks fought them off for a 25-17 win.
 
Ludder and Maria Sorriento (Troy, NY/Troy) led the Hawks with five kills apiece in the opening set.
 
In the second after a kill from Erin Russell (Wantagh, NY/Seaford) to make it 7-6, the Hawks never trailed the rest of the way. Sorriento (4), Rosa Maun (Redstone, CO/Roaring Fork) (3), and Ludder led the way offensively in the set.
 
The Hawks were the dominant team in the third set, leading from start to finish. After grabbing an 8-3 advantage, 'Wick never led by less than five points in the set. The lead grew to ten, 19-9, on a Sorriento kill, and six of the next eight points secured the victory for the Hawks, 25-11.

Sorriento would lead all players with 12 kills. She also hit .310 on the night. Ludder finished with 10 kills and hit .529. She would also end the match with seven aces. Maun chipped in with nine kills.
 
Russell closed the evening with a match-high 24 assists. She also registered nine digs. Katie Boak (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) led both teams with 13 digs. Jamie Reidy (Elmira, NY/Horseheads) recorded 11 digs and she added seven assists.
 
Hartwick is off until Wednesday, October 4 against SUNY Cobleskill. Match time is 7 p.m. from Lambros Arena.