Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ELMHURST, ILL. – Playing in two five-set matches on Saturday, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team earned its first victory of 2016, a hard-fought 3-2 win over North Park after falling 3-2 to Greenville earlier in the day to finish up the Elmhurst Invite.

The Hawks (1-3) will return back home to host the Hawks Invitational from Friday-Saturday, Sept. 9-10.

Greenville 3, New Paltz 2 (25-15, 25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 10-15)

Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Hawks could not hold on and fell to the Panthers in the first match on Saturday. Senior outside hitter Morgan Roessler (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) floored a team-high 18 kills while senior outside hitter Anna Paulik (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) notched a double-double with 14 kills and 16 digs.

Junior Veronica Matedero (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) registered a match-high 24 digs and team-best four service aces while junior setter Maddie Zwickl (Chester, NY/Warwick Valley) distributed a match-best 47 assists. Senior middle hitter Brittany Tyack (Commack, NY/Commack) chipped in nine kills and three blocks while freshman middle hitter Kerri Neville (Commack, NY/Commack) had two blocks.

In the opening period, New Paltz claimed an early 5-1 lead before the Panthers answered back and got within one (8-7). After that, however, the Hawks went on a 9-2 run led by three kills from Roessler. Roessler continued her hot hand with consecutive aces to give New Paltz a 21-10 lead and Neville capped the opener off with a kill.

In set number two, the Hawks were trailing 8-4 before responding with a 4-0 run to tie the game. The action went back-and-forth from then on out with neither team claiming more than a three point lead as Roessler gave New Paltz the 2-0 lead with the set clinching kill. Tied at 11, Greenville went on a 14-6 tear to close out the third set and stay alive.

Set Four started with the Hawks behind 11-7 but New Paltz answered with a 7-3 spurt to knot the set at 14. Unfortunately, after a tightly played set the rest of the way, the Panthers ended on top. Greenville began the final stanza jumping to a 7-0 lead. The Hawks were resilient however and clawed to within two (8-6) but several serving and attacking errors down the stretch handed the match to the Panthers.

New Paltz 3, North Park 2 (21-25, 25-16, 30-32, 25-21, 15-12)

The tournament finale for the Hawks against the Vikings was an epic battle as set number three eclipsed the 30-point threshold. Paulik enjoyed a match-high 20 kills while Roessler filled in the stat sheet with 16 kills, 13 digs and six aces. Senior middle hitter Chantal Ramhorst (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) contributed 11 kills, four blocks and two aces while Zwickl registered a double-double of her own variety with an eye-opening 57 assists and 18 digs, both match-highs.

Despite the Hawks grabbing an early 5-2 lead, the Vikings went on a 15-7 spurt and claimed the opening set. The second period was very similar with New Paltz enjoying a 9-5 lead following a Ramhorst kill. After the Vikings knotted the set at 9-9, the Hawks responded with a 16-7 run to tie the match at 1-1.

In the third set battle, there were six set-points before the Vikings escaped with 32-30 win. New Paltz trailed 16-8 in the fourth stanza before going on a 14-1 tear, thanks to six kills by Paulik during this stretch, on route to a 25-21 win. Tied at 7-7 at the turn in the fifth and final set, the Hawks enjoyed an 8-5 spurt to close out the match.