ONEONTA, N.Y. - In a close battle to the very end, the Hawks were able to squeak past conference foe Alfred University with a victory in five sets.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Alfred 2 Hartwick 3

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

• Records: Alfred (12-12, 4-2 Empire 8) Hartwick (14-10, 5-1 Empire 8) 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Hawks and the Saxons were fairly even in nearly every statistical category, though the Hawks would hold a slight 9-7 edge in aces as Sophia Palladino (Owego, N.Y.) made up 4 of them.

• Shelby Swartz (Candor, N.Y.) and Isabella Gracias (Oneonta, N.Y.) combined for 37 kills out of the Hawks' total 65, with Swartz leading the way with 19.

• Braelyn Hornick (Candor, N.Y.) took charge on the offensive, tallying a season-high 54 assists– a staggering 83% of the Hawks' assist total for the match– and leading the defensive drive with 11 kills. Palladino and Malia Dake (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) were not far behind, with each of them snagging 10 digs apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hawks set the tone early off of back-to-back service aces from Palladino, though the Saxons would fight back hard to keep pace. 'Wick was soon up to a 18-11 lead off successful attacks by Samantha Garback (Tully, N.Y.) and Swartz, and while Alfred was able to put up a fight, back-to-back kills from Gracias only drew the Hawks closer towards a first set win. It was a kill by Swartz that would seal the deal for the Hawks and give them a 1-0 edge going into set two.

Hartwick again came out strong in the second, but consistent errors and a revitalized Alfred offense soon began to surpass the Hawks in points. Palladino on service was a threat, racking up two consecutive aces and building the foundation for more attacks to keep the Hawks alive, but they would ultimately fall 26-24 in the second set.

The Saxons truly came alive in the third, leading by seven at one point. Gracias would make five kills in the third set alone, though the push was not enough to put the Hawks over the edge. Now trailing the Saxons, the fourth set became critical. Gracias and Palladino once again dominated in the offense, racking up a combined three kills and a shared block in the span of four consecutive plays. Still, the Alfred University Saxons were relentless and tailed the Hawks closely until another kill from Gracias earned 'Wick a well-fought fourth set victory.

Having forced a fifth set, the Hawks were determined to keep the momentum going and grabbed the first five points. After a tense back-and-forth in points, the Saxons would lead 10-9 until Lucille Walker (Ithaca, N.Y.) shut the Saxons down with consecutive kills. Then a solid attack from Swartz pushed the Hawks over the edge, as they earned the fifth set 15-13 in a photo-finish battle to the end.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will host their final home match of the season on Saturday, October 18th at 12PM where they will take on the Houghton University Highlanders as well as celebrate their Senior Day with a special pre-match ceremony.

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.