DELHI, NY – The Hartwick volleyball team sandwiched a two-point second set win with a couple of easier victories, sweeping SUNY Delhi on the Broncos' Senior Night on Monday evening (25-11, 27-25, 25-20). At 14-10 overall and with only three matches remaining, the Hawks have clinched a winning record for the first time since 2007. A win in two of their final three matches would give 'Wick the best winning percentage in program history. Delhi's attempt to move to .500 was quashed, as they dropped to 10-12.
Leading by just one early in the first set at 7-6, Hartwick began to grab control. They won the next five points, finishing on a Celia Gagnon (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) kill from Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy). After a Delhi point, the Hawks went on to take eight of the next nine points, essentially putting the set away at 20-8. Katie Boak (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) had a pair of aces throughout that run. Leading 21-11 a few points later, the Hawks shut the door with four more consecutive points, two on Sarah Petz (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) aces.
The next set was a bit dicier for 'Wick, but they still pulled it out. Things looked all right for the Hawks, as they maintained a four-point advantage for awhile, out to 12-8 after another Gagnon kill. The Broncos began to close the gap, however, bringing the score to 17-16 off back-to-back kills by Lexi Taylor and Marie Julian. Although the Hawks opened a five-point lead up after another 4-0 stretch, culminating in a block by Gagnon and Dell Potts (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane), the Broncos continued to claw, and wound up staving off four match points and grabbing a 25-24 lead. The Hawks stayed with it, re-knotting the game on a Maria Sorriento (Troy, NY/Troy) kill and ending it two points later on another ace from Petz.
Delhi led by four early on in set three at 10-6, but Hartwick began to close the gap, eventually tying the match at 14. The two sides found themselves tied again at 19, and from there Hartwick slammed the door shut. They won the next five points, with help from two Gagnon kills, a Sorriento kill, and a block by Gagnon and Sorriento. After a Bronco kill, Gagnon finished off the set at 25-20 and match at 3-0.
Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) led all players with 11 kills, also adding in 12 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Sorriento was right behind with 10 kills, Gagnon had nine kills and three blocks, and Toria Betelak (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) had eight kills. Boak led all players with 19 digs to go with three aces, and Ericson had a match-high 34 assists, seven digs, two aces, and a pair of kills.
Witchney Clersainvil led Delhi with eight kills and had two blocks as well. Taylor Tsatsis was right behind with seven kills, adding in three blocks and six digs to boot. Shelby Nolan and Taylor had the team highs in digs, at 17 and 16, respectively, and Prindle did the setting for the Broncos, with 20.
The Hawks will finish their season this weekend at the Oneonta Dig Pink Invitational, hosted by SUNY Oneonta. 'Wick starts their weekend on Friday with a match against Cazenovia at 6 p.m., and then plays Baruch at 12 p.m. and Eastern at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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