Fredonia, NY —The State University of New York at New Paltz came out with its first SUNYAC victory Friday, defeating the Fredonia State Blue Devils in four sets (25-22, 24-26, 25-14, 25-18).
"We're very pleased to come out with a win tonight as we start conference play," said Hawks coach Matt Giufre. "Fredonia came out hot and played very well, so we were in for a battle."
The Blue Devils went into the first set with intensity, almost immediately going on a five-point run after an attack error by the Hawks, which put them into the lead. SUNY New Paltz was able to chip away at the deficit to regain the lead late in the set, led by Letisha Perez who tallied eight of her 14 kills within the first. The Hawks took the set by a three-point margin, 25-22.
The second set proved challenging for SUNY New Paltz, with Fredonia consistently scoring and going on many multiple point runs. The Blue Devils had the lead for almost the entirety of the set until the Hawks were able to come back, and a block by Perez and Jamie Albrecht tied the score 24-24. Fredonia scored two quick points, breaking the tie and winning the second in overtime, 26-24.
In the third, SUNY New Paltz returned to the court with a renewed determination and came out to a quick 8-3 lead, stifling the Blue Devils' scoring opportunities. The Hawks saw success offensively, recording a .167 hitting percentage for the set, in comparison to the Blue Devil's -.160 statistic. This offensive production led the Hawks to win the third set by a wide margin, 25-14.
SUNY New Paltz dominated in the third, and by taking that determination into the fourth, would fare the same in the final set. The game was not back-and-forth, but both competitors would go on multiple point runs, some exceeding five at a time. Although Fredonia came closer to the Hawks' final score, SUNY New Paltz won the set 25-18, and secured its first SUNYAC win.
"We were out of sorts the first two sets but made some good plays late in the first to get that one which was key, and Fredonia made those plays at the end of the second so credit to them," Giufre said. "In the third and fourth we were able to get in sync and play the way we're capable of playing. I'm pleased with how our team kept grinding away to eventually get an important win."
Regarding stand-out players for this inaugural conference game, one Hawk stood out. "Letisha was really at the center of it all and we fed off her high energy and confidence to pull this one out," commented Giufre.
Perez totaled 14 kills, along with three total blocks and eight digs. Mackenzie Williams also contributed 14 kills to the Hawks' score and amassed 12 digs. Albrecht added 10 kills and attained season-highs in digs (19), assists (2), and service aces (6).
SUNY New Paltz will return to action Saturday, making the trip out west to verse the Buffalo State Bengals in its second SUNYAC matchup of the season. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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