Box Score Geneseo, NY — For the fourth time in the last five years, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's volleyball team is headed to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament finals.
 
The Hawks defeated Oswego State in the semifinals Friday night, bouncing back from their two-game losing streak to take a 3-1 (15-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-10) victory. SUNY New Paltz will now wait for the winner of the match on the other side of the bracket, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Fredonia, to see who it will face in the finals. 
 
"We're just happy to be playing tomorrow," said Hawks coach Matt Giufre. "It's not easy to get to [the finals], and you can't take that for granted."
 
The Lakers established their capability early in the match, taking a 4-2 lead in the first set. Three attack errors by Oswego State, topped off by a service ace from sophomore libero Oliva D'Antonio, however, allowed the Hawks to gain possession of the lead at 7-4.
 
Extending the advantage to 10-5, a timeout by the Lakers was the spark they needed to take back the set. Right out of the stoppage of play, Oswego State went on a 6-1 run to tie the set at 11.
 
When the Hawks answered with three-unanswered points to take the lead back, 14-11, the Lakers offensive effort never let up. They scored 10-unanswered points, jumping in front 21-14, and taking full momentum in the set.
 
A kill by junior outside hitter Madison Van Pelt stopped the bleeding at 21-15, but it was not enough, as Oswego State took a 1-0 advantage, 25-15.
 
The second started off all Lakers again, as they took a 5-2 lead in the beginning of the set. Much like in the first, however, SUNY New Paltz came back, tying the set at six off a sophomore outside hitter Julie Greenspan kill.
 
Tied at seven, three errors by Oswego State gave the Hawks the lead, 10-7, and forced the Lakers to call a timeout. It was not the answer they desperately needed, as SUNY New Paltz came out with a 8-3 run to extend the lead, 18-10.
 
Four-unanswered points by Oswego State to jump back in the set at 18-14 forced coach Giufre to call a timeout. His message was heard, as the Hawks offense went on a 6-3 run to force checkmate, at 24-17. Three more unanswered points by the Lakers was not enough, as SUNY New Paltz tied the match at one, 25-20.
 
"We had to let that [first] set go, and focus on passing better," Giufre said. "Oswego got on a run of near perfection in the first set that allowed them to take over, but I felt coming out in the second aggressively would give us a chance to tie the match up."
 
The third was tight from the beginning, as both teams never fell behind by more than three within the set. With Oswego State up 12-9, the Hawks called a timeout and a 6-2 run ensued, leading to a 15-14 advantage.
 
A Lakers timeout allowed them to grab the lead back at 18-17, but a kill by senior outside hitter Taylor Cimillo, an attack error and a kill by junior middle hitter Kerri Neville allowed SUNY New Paltz to jump out, 20-18, and force Oswego State's last timeout.
 
The set tied at 20, the Hawks showed they would not be denied, going on the 5-2 run they needed to take set, 25-22, and the lead in the match, 2-1.
 
SUNY New Paltz stayed aggressive into the fourth, taking a 5-0 lead to start the set. With the Hawks up 13-7 after a Lakers' timeout, a kill by Cimillo started a 12-3 run SUNY New Paltz needed once again, asserting its dominance to take the set, 25-10, and the match, 3-1.
 
"We have to come out assertively with every serve and every swing tomorrow," Giufre said. "We have a good shot, but it's going to take confident, aggressive play. Nothing passive or safe."
 
The Hawks will return to SUNY Geneseo Saturday at 4 p.m., when they take on the winner of the match between SUNY Geneseo and Fredonia State for the SUNYAC championship.

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