ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Women's Volleyball team took on the Red Dragons, evening the Battle of the Hills series with a four set triumph at SUNY Oneonta's Dewar Arena on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hartwick 3 Oneonta 1

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Dewar Arena

• Records: Hartwick (5-7, 0-0 Empire 8) Oneonta (9-3, 0-0 SUNYAC)

BY THE NUMBERS

• Hartwick has handed Oneonta two of their three losses this season, picking up a five set win in the Crosstown Challenge last weekend at Russell Sage.

• The Hawks have won their last six matchups over the Red Dragons with five wins coming under Head Coach Janet Donovan.

• Isabella Gracias (Oneonta, N.Y.) led all players with 15 kills, reaching that mark for the third time in five games.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

The Blue and White wrapped up their 12-match road stretch with a short trip across town, taking down SUNY Oneonta for the second time this season in a 3-1 victory.

The Hawks came out strong in the opening frame, but a six-point Red Dragon swing pushed the hosts ahead for good. Hartwick trimmed the deficit to two late thanks to steady defense and a kill from Isabella Gracias (Oneonta, N.Y.), but Oneonta held on to secure the first set.

Oneonta tried to ride that momentum in the second, building a 17-11 cushion, but Hartwick quickly flipped the script. Kills from Shelby Swartz (Candor, N.Y.) and Samantha Garback (Tully, N.Y.), followed by a block from Garback and Gracias, shifted the energy. Sophia Palladino (Owego, N.Y.) delivered on the outside with timely kills to even things up, while an ace from Mary Kinnane (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) tied the score at 20. Another Palladino kill leveled the set at 21, and the Hawks closed on a four-point run capped by a Sophia Palladino ace to even the match at one apiece.

The third set turned into a thriller. Swartz's serving run opened the frame, but Oneonta responded with a burst of its own as the teams traded points down the stretch. Facing set point at 22-24, the Hawks stayed alive on a Lucille Walker (Ithaca, N.Y.) kill, then swung momentum with a Gracias hammer before Malia Dake (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) iced the comeback with an ace for a 27-25 win.

Coach Donovan's squad showed its resilience once more in the fourth, erasing a 17-12 deficit with a five-point run fueled by four straight Kinnane aces. With the match in their control, Palladino and Walker finished the job at the net, securing the rivalry win in four sets.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will make their long-awaited return to Lambros Arena, hosting SUNY Cobleskill at 11AM and Clarkson University at 3:30 PM on Saturday, September 20.

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.