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POTSDAM, N.Y. – Dreams of a return to the national quarterfinals were dashed for the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team (34-9) on Sunday in the Clarkson Regional final of the 2012 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament, as the Hawks lost, 3-2 (26-24, 30-32, 20-25, 25-10, 15-13), to host Clarkson University (31-6).

Clarkson advances to the national quarterfinals, which will be held at Hope College in Holland, Mich., on Thursday, Nov. 15. The Golden Knights will face the No. 8 University of St. Thomas in the quarterfinal round. New Paltz ends its 2012 campaign with a 34-9 record, which marked the most wins in a single season in program history.

Offensively, Clarkson held the upper hand, notching 70 kills to New Paltz's 56 and fashioning a .204 hitting percentage to the Hawks' .165 clip. Furthermore, the Golden Knights held an 11-7 edge in service aces, an 8-6 cushion in blocks and a 100-90 margin in digs.

The Hawks' two biggest performances came from a pair of seniors playing in their final collegiate match. Senior outside hitter Michelle Jacobson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) floored 20 kills and added 22 digs, while senior middle hitter Dana Vosilla (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) had 10 kills and six blocks. Junior setter Marissa King (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy) dished out 50 assists, while freshman outside hitter Becca Borquist (Rhinebeck, N.Y./Rhinebeck) and freshman setter Lauren O'Hern (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) had three service aces each. Defensively, junior libero Carrie Hack (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) came up with 27 digs, while sophomore libero Katy Herbst (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) and Borquist collected 14 and 12 digs, respectively.

For Clarkson, three players reached double figures in kills: Victoria Kirkemo (20), Aishvina Arasu (19) and Adrienne Walker (18). Lani Durio had a double-double with 57 assists and 22 digs, while Erika Chin, Kirstie Shurie, Kirkemo and Arasu had 28, 15, 15 and 14 digs, respectively. Shurie was outstanding off the serve, as she boasted six service aces.

Clarkson held the momentum for much of the first set, though the two squads went back and forth, and the Golden Knights were never able to construct a large lead. A Clarkson attacking error tied the score at 20-all, and after a Borquist kill, Kirkemo knotted the tally at 21-all. The two teams traded points until Arasu floored back-to-back terminations to put the Golden Knights up 24-22. Jacobson had back-to-back kills to stave off set point, but New Paltz was hurt by a service error and an attacking error, giving set one to Clarkson.

Set two featured a heroic comeback by the Hawks. Down 24-20, the Hawks staged a huge rally, which included four different errors by the Golden Knights. With the score tied at 24-all, Kirkemo landed a kill before Vosilla floored one of her own to tie it back up. Arasu and Jacobson traded kills before Kirkemo and Jacobson traded kills, and Jacobson gave the Hawks the lead at 28-27 with another termination. Walker and Jacobson traded points before a Walker kill and a Hawk attacking error gave Clarkson a 30-29 advantage. Senior right side Eleanor Skovgaard (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford-Sutherland) floored a kill, and two Golden Knight attacking errors gave New Paltz the set at 32-30.

New Paltz held the upper hand throughout most of the third frame. After Clarkson went up 7-5, the Hawks scored four straight points to lead 9-7. Two straight Golden Knight points tied the tally at 9-all, and the two teams traded points until the Hawks went on a 3-0 run to lead 13-10. Clarkson was unable to take the advantage from that point forward, and New Paltz took a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set four was all Clarkson, as after a kill by junior middle hitter Elizabeth Hauser (East Williston, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) drew New Paltz within two at 4-2, the Golden Knights scored 15 straight points to put the frame well out of reach for the Hawks. Clarkson wound up winning the set by a 25-10 score.

The Hawks hopped out to a 4-1 edge in the deciding fifth set, but Clarkson scored four of the next five points to tie the score at 5-all. The Golden Knights slipped after a service error and an attacking error, but Arasu pulled Clarkson back within one at 7-6 with a kill. The two squads traded points until Kirkemo had back-to-back terminations to tie the score at 10-all. A Borquist kill coupled with a Clarkson attacking error gave the Hawks a 12-10 edge, but Walker countered with a kill to pull the Golden Knights back within one.  Vosilla inflated life in the Hawks' chances with a kill to go up 13-11, but Clarkson scored four straight points to end the match.

Following the conclusion of the match, Jacobson and Vosilla were named to the Clarkson Regional All-Tournament Team.