Box Score Williamstown, MA — In unusual fashion Tuesday night, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team lost the first set of the match for the first time since Sept. 12. Then the second set. And the third.
 
The Hawks lost to Williams College in straight sets (23-25, 20-25, 22-25), breaking their nine-game winning streak and dropping to 15-4 on the year. SUNY New Paltz also ended a seven-game streak of sweeping teams, 3-0. 
 
"It's certainly not the first time we dropped a set," said Hawks coach Matt Giufre. "We came out determined and aggressive in sets two and three, but we lost the serve-receive battle and it made it very difficult to score. Williams is a very good team and out-hustled us defensively tonight."
 
The Ephs opened the first set hot, jumping out to an early 6-2 lead. The Hawks clawed back to tie the set at seven after a junior outside hitter Madison Van Pelt kill and then gained the lead at 8-7 off of a junior middle hitter Kerri Neville service ace.
 
In a set featuring 11 ties, The Hawks grabbed the lead back at 15-14 after a Neville kill. SUNY New Paltz extended its advantage to 20-16, but a four-unanswered point streak by Williams evened the set at 20. At 22-22, two kills by the Ephs put them in front 24-22 and a kill by freshman setter Amber Elson at 24-23 was not enough, as Williams took the set, 25-23.
 
In a back-and-forth opening to the second, the Hawks' advantage at 7-6 was their last lead of the set. Not backing down, kills by senior outside hitter Taylor Cimillo and sophomore outside hitter Julie Greenspan tied the set at 15. With the Ephs scoring three-unanswered points, Cimillo scored twice more on kills to tie the set again at 18.
 
Williams scoring effort was too much. Down 19-20, four unanswered points settled the set for the Ephs, eventually winning 25-20, to take a 2-0 advantage.
 
SUNY New Paltz attempted to move momentum on its side in the third, going up 6-3 after two sophomore setter Haley Timarky service aces. Williams took the lead back at 10-9, not looking back for the majority of the set.
 
At 18-15, a kill by junior middle hitter Shannon Thomas led to two service aces for the Hawks, tying the set at 18. The Ephs answered emphatically, scoring five points in a row to take the lead, 23-18.
 
Fighting until the last moment, two kills by Van Pelt, one by Greenspan and another by sophomore middle hitter Demi Herasme brought SUNY New Paltz within one at 22-23. Two kills by Williams ended the match, as the Hawks lost the set, 22-25.
 
"Tonight was a chance to match-up against a high quality team," Giufre said. "[Williams] made the extra effort to get on the floor and sprawl after every ball, and we didn't match that intensity all around."
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to action Friday at the Hawk Center, when they face off against SUNY Oneonta at 5 p.m.

To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel,New Paltz Hawks.