ROCHESTER, NY – The Hartwick volleyball team is in the midst of what is by far the greatest season in program history, with an 18-3 record. They look to put the cherry on top this weekend with their first ever Empire 8 Championship. First, the second-seeded Hawks (7-1 E8) have to take on third-seeded Nazareth (6-2 E8). The two teams will battle on the campus of St. John Fisher tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.
'Wick's incredible run has truly been a team effort, with six different Hawks ranking in the top ten of various conference leaderboards. Empire 8 First Teamers Toria Betelak (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) and Myla Dobson (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) led the Hartwick attack in conference play, with 71 kills on a .315 hitting percentage and 80 kills on a .305 hitting percentage, respectively. Those hitting percentages rank third and fourth in the Empire 8. Second Teamer Staecia Silofau (Kapolei, HI/Maryknoll) has also been important to Hartwick's offensive above-the-net presence, ranking 10th in the conference with 75 kills. Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy) and Braelyn Hornick (Candor, NY/Candor) have split setting duties for the Hawks this season.
Defensively, the Hawks have been fearsome at the net, leading the conference with 1.87 blocks per set. Dobson heads up that effort, averaging exactly 1.00 blocks per set to lead the Empire 8, while Betelak, Dell Potts (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane), and Silofau rank seventh through ninth in blocks among conference leaders. In addition to her offensive efforts, Empire 8 Third Teamer Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) ranks first on the Hawks with 88 digs in conference matches.
For Nazareth, Empire 8 First Team honorees Tessa Grover and Kaylee Kelly lead the attack. Grover, who was also named the conference Rookie of the Year, ranks sixth in the conference with a .273 attack percentage (65 kills). Kelly has far and away the highest number of kills in conference play at 141, 41 ahead of second place. Grover has been something of a renaissance woman for the Golden Flyers, as she also leads them with 240 assists and 0.72 blocks per set, both top ten in the Empire 8. McKenzie Hart has been an important piece for Nazareth as well, earning Empire 8 Second Team honors in part thanks to ranking second in the conference with 4.72 digs per set.
This season's meeting between Hartwick and Nazareth was a dramatic one, as the Hawks earned a five-set win in Lambros Arena for their first victory over the Golden Flyers since 2012. These two teams have not yet met in Empire 8 postseason play, as the Hawks are making their first conference tournament appearance since the field was reduced in 2003.
The winner of Friday's match advances to the Empire 8 Championship, which will be played against either #4 Elmira or #1 St. John Fisher at 2 p.m. on Saturday in St. John Fisher's Manning & Napier Gymnasium.
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