SCHENECTADY, NY – The Hartwick volleyball team continued its blistering start to the season on Saturday, beating both host Union and Plattsburgh in four sets to finish the Union/Russell Sage Tournament at a perfect 3-0. The Hawks are now 8-1 on the year, the best start through nine matches in program history.

Match One vs. Union (3-1; 25-22, 25-23, 27-29, 25-13)

• The Hawks won the first two sets by a combined five points, grabbing a 2-0 match lead. The first was closed out by a Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) service ace, while the second was finished by Toria Betelak's (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) kill.
• 'Wick had a pair of match points for the sweep in set three, but Union forced a tie at 24 and eventually withstood a couple more match points for the 29-27 win.
• Hartwick was undeterred, and blew by the Dutchwomen in the fourth and final set by a 25-13 scoreline.
• Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy) had a monster match, setting a new career high with 56 assists. That number is tied for the third-highest single-match mark in program history.
• Myla Dobson (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), Betelak, and Staecia Silofau (Kapolei, HI/Maryknoll) tied for the match high with 17 kills apiece; it is a career high for all three of them.
• Four Hawks found themselves in the double digits for digs: Kailee Muscarello (Sayville, NY/Sayville) at 15, Kaileigh Brandow (Manorville, NY/Eastport South Manor) at 14, Silofau at 11 (her first career double-double), and Maloney at 10.

Match Two vs. Plattsburgh (3-1; 25-14, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14)

• Just like earlier in the day, the Hawks won the first two sets but could not quite close out the match in three.
• 'Wick was down 22-19 in the second set before reeling off six consecutive points for the win.
• The fourth and final set was never all that close, and Hartwick scored eight of the last nine points to seal their victory.
• Dobson led all players with 12 kills.
• Sarah Petz (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) had a team high 13 digs, alo contributing three service aces.
• Braelyn Hornick (Candor, NY/Candor) took over setting duties, dishing out a career-high 35 to go with a match-high four aces and eight digs.

The Hawks start Empire 8 Conference play next time out, as they take on St. John Fisher this Friday at 6 p.m. in Lambros Arena.

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