ONEONTA, NY – The Hartwick volleyball team dressed in all black Saturday afternoon, looking for their first conference victory of the year as they competed against the Golden Eagles of Nazareth in their second match of the weekend. The Hawks came out on top 3-2 (21-25, 25-17, 22-25, 26-24, 15-10), grinding out a five-set win, their first over Nazareth since 2012. The Hawks move to 9-2 on the year and 1-1 in the Empire 8, while the Golden Flyers drop to 5-6 on the year and 1-1 in Empire 8 play.
Nazareth got off to a quick start in the first set, leading 5-1 early. They ended up leading for the remainder of the set, but a Toria Betelak (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) spike that got the game to 18-23 seemed like it might change the momentum, forcing the Golden Flyers to take a timeout. After the time out the Hawks got the score to 24-21, but ended up taking the 25-21 set one loss.
Set 2 started off very back-and-forth, with both teams trading points early on. Once Dell Potts (Niverville, NY/Ichabod Crane) and Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy) got into the game, they helped push the Hawks into flight, getting the scoreboard to a 10-7 'Wick advantage. The Hawks then soared to put the score at 15-11, forcing the Golden Flyers to take a timeout and recoup. Potts stayed flying high, later making the score 18-14 in favor of your Hawks. They went on a 6-3 run to put the score at 24-17 and their opponents on the brink, forcing a Golden Flyers timeout once again. It would make no difference, as the second set ended with the Hawks winning 25-17 and tying the match at one set apiece.
The third set opened up just like the last, with each side trading points. Staecia Silofau (Kapolei, HI/Maryknoll) had a vicious kill that set the score to 3-3 and put set two energizers Ericson and Potts back into the match. This time, however, the fire didn't spark and putting points on the board was a problem. The Golden Flyers went on a 6-1 run, forcing a Hawks timeout. After settling down, the Hawks came flying out with a Betelak kill. They stayed the course with Kaileigh Brandow (Manorville, NY/Eastport South Manor) behind the service line, going on a 6-0 run to take a 10-9 lead and force a Golden Flyers timeout. The set continued with the teams trading points again, but ultimately a discombobulated play would end the set at 25-22, as the Golden Flyers took a 2-1 advantage on the match.
With all the momentum seeming to be on the Nazareth side of the net, the Hawks started set four down 1-0 and like the rest of the match traded points with their opponent. The Golden Flyers kept that momentum as they went on a 5-1 run that was ultimately ended by a Betelak, who then followed it up with an ace that put the score at 11-9 to the Golden Flyers. The Hawks followed with a run of their own, going 6-1, tying the game at 12-all and forcing the Golden Flyers back to their nest to talk it out. The Hawks stayed hot out of the timeout taking a 16-13 lead before Nazareth's Tessa Grover made it 16-14 and slowed the Hawks run. The Golden Flyers took a 23-21 lead that forced Hartwick boss Jim Clar to gather his Hawks and get them ready for one last push. A Potts kill followed by a kill from Nazareth's Kaylee Kelly got the game to 24-22, putting the Hawks on the brink of another tough loss. Kelly followed up her big play with a service error that gave the Hawks just what they needed to tie the set. Nazareth then had an attack error to put the score at 24-24, and then a Myla Dobson (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) kill followed by a Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) ace sealed the 26-24 fourth set win.
Less than 24 hours from yesterday's marathon against St. John Fisher, the Hawks found themselves battling in set five once again, soaring after a different outcome. They started their flight to 15 up 4-1. After a split decision on a call by the officials, the Eagles got the game to 4-2, but Silofau answered with a monstrous kill. The Golden Flyers began to dip and the Hawks took full advantage of error after error. Like the day before, the score was 8-4, but unlike the previous day the Hawks led and forced a Nazareth timeout. Out of the pause, the Eagles took a 4-2 run and seemed to swing the momentum back in their favor, but it was a Dobson kill that stopped them in their tracks and pushed the score to 11-8. Silofau was the energizer in the final set, with back to back kills to set the scoreboard to 13-10. Set 2 energizer Ericson had back-to-back serves to win the set 15-10 and put the Hawks to 1-1 in conference play.
Silofau led the Hawks with 15 kills on an absurd .542 hitting percentage, adding in 10 digs for the double-double. Kailee Mucarello (Sayville, NY/Sayville) set a new career high at 27 digs, while Maloney and Brandow each contributed 15 digs apiece. Braelyn Hornick (Candor, NY/Candor) handled the bulk of the setting duties, with 34 helpers, while Ericson pitched in 17 assists of her own. Dobson had 13 kills and nine big-time blocks.
The Hawks play next on Tuesday night against Keystone at 6 p.m. in Lambros, and plan to stay hot as they return to conference play on October 8th at Houghton.
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