Box Score NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – After a lopsided first-set win, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team needed to summon all of its talent and strength to ward off non-conference Vassar College at the Hawk Center on Wednesday night, topping the Brewers, 3-1 (25-11, 27-25, 28-30, 25-22), in New Paltz's final regular-season home match of the year.
The victory ensured that the Hawks achieved a milestone they have reached every season since 2004: 26 victories. It also marked the ninth straight win for New Paltz over Vassar and the Hawks' second this year over their Hudson Valley rival.
New Paltz rises to 26-5 with the win and next competes at the Skidmore Invitational from Friday-Saturday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, in its final tune-up before the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament. Vassar drops to 12-17 with the loss and hosts The Sage Colleges on Saturday, Nov. 1, in its final match of the season.
After a decisive first-set triumph, New Paltz struggled to put Vassar away in the second. With the Hawks holding a 17-15 lead, the Brewers scored five straight points to claim a 20-17 advantage, but after New Paltz fell behind 21-19, the Hawks scored four consecutive points to take a 23-21 edge. The two teams traded points until a Vassar service error and a kill by junior outside hitter
Becca Borquist (Rhinebeck, N.Y./Rhinebeck) gave the Hawks a 27-25 win in the set.
The Hawks appeared doomed in the third stanza, as Vassar brought up set point at 24-21. New Paltz fired off three straight points to tie the score, and back-and-forth play ensued before Vassar received back-to-back kills to pull out a 30-28 victory in the third.
Both teams battled back and forth in the fourth set, and after the Brewers staked themselves to a 20-19 advantage, New Paltz rattled off four straight points to take a 23-20 lead. After a Vassar kill, a termination by sophomore middle hitter
Morgan Roessler (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and a New Paltz service error, sophomore outside hitter
Katy Braddon (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy) and Roessler pounded down a block assist to close out the match.
New Paltz outhit Vassar, .179-to-.099, for the match, and the Hawks fired off 21 service aces, which were achieved off contributions by seven different servers. New Paltz also finished with a 6-5 margin in total team blocks.
Borquist keyed the Hawk attack with 17 kills, while Roessler and senior middle hitter
Alli Coleman (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton Central) landed 11 kills each. Freshman setter
Maddie Zwickl (Chester, N.Y./Warwick Valley) dished out 40 assists, while Zwickl and Coleman led New Paltz's serving efforts with five aces apiece. Defensively, sophomore libero
Rachel Pierson (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) had 10 digs, while Roessler tallied four total blocks.
For Vassar, senior hitters Clara Cardillo and Marie Pitre ignited the offense with nine kills each, while sophomore hitter Gabby Miller distributed 26 assists. Junior libero Chloe Hallum and sophomore defensive specialist Sierra Tobin notched 22 and 12 digs, respectively, to reinforce the back row defensively.
Prior to the start of the match, New Paltz honored its three seniors: senior libero
Katy Herbst (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroder), senior right side
Alex Bizub (Linden, N.J./Cranford) and Coleman.
