Fredonia Box Score
Johnson & Wales Box Score
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NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – After trailing SUNY Fredonia (6-5), 9-4, in the fifth set, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team (8-4) mounted a comeback for the ages. New Paltz downed the Blue Devils, 3-2 (21-25, 25-18, 17-25, 26-24, 15-13), in its first match of the Hawks Invitational on Friday in the Hawk Center before cruising past Johnson & Wales University (4-2), 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-21), in the nightcap.

The blue and orange started off slow against the Blue Devils, hitting at a .079 clip in the first set. New Paltz would settle down in the second frame, evening up the tally at 1-1 with a 25-18 set victory. While it appeared that Fredonia had recaptured the momentum for good with a 25-17 triumph in the third stanza, the Hawks prevailed in a nail-biting, do-or-die fourth set, 26-24. Unforced errors doomed the Blue Devils in the final set, with the final point coming off of a receiving error on what appeared to be a routine serve by sophomore outside hitter Kelly Lavender (Apalachin, N.Y.).

On the match, junior outside hitter Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, N.Y.) and senior middle hitter Dana Kindelmann (Nesconset, N.Y.) had 17 and 16 kills, respectively, while freshman setter Brigid Moore (Victory, N.Y.) dished out 30 assists. Freshman libero Carrie Hack (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) joined the 30-dig club with a 30-dig performance, while Kindelmann had three block assists.

New Paltz carried over its winning ways to its clash with Johnson & Wales University. The Hawks once again started slow early on, but the attack picked up the pace toward the end of the first set, winning, 25-19, in the first game. The blue and orange would take the second and third sets as well, prevailing by scores of 25-20 and 25-21, respectively, to complete the sweep.

Lavender's 10 kills led the team, while freshman setter Marissa King (Canandaigua, N.Y.) handed out 13 assists. Hack once again reinforced the back row, this time collecting 12 digs.

The Hawks seek to be crowned Hawks Invitational champions for the seventh time in as many years tomorrow as they take on Ithaca College and Clarkson University.