ONEONTA, N.Y. - The women's volleyball team celebrated their Senior Day and final home match of the regular season with a 3-0 triumph over the Houghton University Highlanders.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Houghton 0 Hartwick 3

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Lambros Stadium

• Records: Houghton (12-7, 6-1 Empire 8) Hartwick (15-10, 6-1 Empire 8) 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Hawks would celebrate their seniors in a special pre-match ceremony, the 5 of them being Ellie Kalbach (Spring City, Pa.), Mallory Muglio (Brewster, N.Y.), Mary Kinnane (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.), Shelby Swartz (Candor, N.Y.), and Braelyn Hornick (Candor, N.Y.).

• Shelby Swartz (Candor, N.Y.) had a great day on the court, leading the Hawks with 15 kills and 12 digs. She and Sophia Palladino (Owego, N.Y.) would also both chip in for two aces apiece.

• Braelyn Hornick (Candor, N.Y.) was again a standout with 40 assists, while Lucille Walker (Ithaca, N.Y.) held the defense down with 4 blocks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hawks faced a tough opponent in the Houghton Highlanders, as the two teams both came out hot to keep the match within a two-point margin until back-to-back aces from Swartz and service errors from the Highlanders would give the Hawks a slight edge. Still, both teams remained close in scoring, with Walker and Swartz taking charge on the attack to bring their lead back up to five points. After a tough back-and-forth, an attack error on Houghton would lift the Hawks over the edge to take the first set 25-23.

The second set was just as intense, as Swartz again buried consecutive kills to open the Hawks's scoring. Palladino and Swartz would earn five kills apiece in the second set alone to consistently bring the Hawks up, and simultaneously allowing Palladino to surpass 200 career kills. Walker would soon secure the final point in the second set to give the Hawks another triumph.

Houghton opened the third set with a vengeance, taking the first three points and forcing the Hawks to try and overcome the deficit. The Highlanders led for a short time until Swartz and Walker again dominated the offensive drive, leading the Hawks to a 17-12 edge. Houghton refused to give up, with the Highlanders clawing their way back to knot the game until the Royal Blue and White answered back with consecutive kills and a sturdy defense to sweep the Highlanders in three straight sets on an incredible Senior Day.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will close out their season with a stint of road contests, including a match against the Keuka College Wolves on Friday, October 24th at 6PM.

About Hartwick College:

Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.