ONEONTA, NY – Despite strong efforts in all three games, including two-point losses in sets two and three, the Hartwick volleyball team could not quite overcome Houghton, falling in three sets, 25-20, 25-23, and 25-23. The loss drops the Hawks to 10-6 (1-2 E8), while Houghton is now 11-3 (2-0 E8).
The Highlanders took a large lead early on in the first set, extending it out to 10-3 after three consecutive Ally Bittinger aces. They made it 14-6 before 'Wick began its fight back, starting with four straight points on two Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy) aces and a kill each by Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) and Toria Betelak (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool). The Hawks made it to within two after Kaitlyn Ludder (West Sand Lake, NY/Averill Park) and Celia Gagnon (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) kills making it 16-14, but Houghton scored the next three points to retake control, and eventually led 23-17. The visitors used that cushion for a five-point first set win.
Houghton jumped out to another early lead in set two, leading 6-2 thanks in part to three Brooke Lewandowski kills and two Haley Unverdorben aces. 'Wick fought back to 6-5 and 8-7, but the Highlanders were again able to put together an extended run, this time scoring six straight points. Bittinger had three of the six points via service ace. The Hawks would again not give in, fighting back to tie after a Betelak ace to knot set two at 17-all. The teams would find themselves tied again at 23 apiece, but an Amy Huddell kill and a Hartwick ball handling error ended the set in Houghton's favor.
The third set started much more tightly than the other two, with scores of 6-6 and 13-12 featured. From there, the Highlanders scored three points in a row to take a four-point lead, and kept at least a two-point advantage for a bit. Hartwick inched closer after a Betelak kill and two Houghton attack errors made the score 20-19 in the visiting team's favor. At 21-20, the Highlanders won three consecutive points on a Bittinger kill and two Morgan Potempa aces, but they could not get rid of the hosts that easy; Hartwick scored the next three to bring the score back to within one at 24-23. Houghton staved off extra points, however, as a Hartwick attack error ended the set and match.
Betelak led the Hawks with eight kills on a .538 attack percentage, and also had two assists, two digs, an ace, and a block. Maloney had seven kills, ten digs, and a match-high three blocks, while Gagnon matched her seven kills and had two blocks of her own. Ericson had 24 assists, seven digs, three aces, and three kills, while Katie Boak (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) led 'Wick with 15 digs.
Jaimee Glendenning was the lone player with double-digit kills, eking over the mark with 10 kills and also contributing eight digs. Haley Unverdorben had a match-high 28 assists as well as six digs and two aces. The Bittinger sisters led the way for the Highlanders in digs and aces; Ally had ten digs and an impressive seven aces, while Jenna had a match-high 17 digs and three aces.
Hartwick returns to action next weekend at the Canton Classic. They take on St. Lawrence Friday, October 4 at 5 p.m. and play SUNY Canton and Morrisville State on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
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