Scranton, PA — The State University of New York New Paltz opened up its 2024 season Friday at the Scranton Invitational.
The Hawks faced Coast Guard Academy for their first matchup and fell, 3-0.
Although SUNY New Paltz registered more kills in the match (36-33), the Bears registered 10 aces in the game and was slightly more efficient offensively, hitting .173 to the Hawks' .157.
Coast Guard went on a 4-0 run after SUNY New Paltz got within two at 16-14 to take control of set one with a 20-14 advantage. The two teams traded points with the Hawks having trouble landing on their swings with consecutive hitting errors, leading to set point for the Bears at 24-18.
Letisha Perez cut into the deficit with a kill off an assist from
Elena Savage, but the Bears earned the 1-0 lead following a kill from Abigail Schweitzer to secure the first, 25-19.
Perez helped start a four-unanswered point run with a kill on a free ball, which allowed Savage to serve through the next three points forcing back-to-back attacking errors by Coast Guard, the latter coming off a double block by Perez and
Lola Konopa. Savage capped the surge with an ace to give her team a slight, 12-10 lead midway through the set. The two team then traded leads three times from there with the Bears serving keeping them out in front.
Following another ace from Coast Guard,
Jamie Albrecht registered a kill off an assist from
Kim Braun to cut the deficit, 18-17 but the Bears countered with five straight points to take a comfortable, 23-17 advantage. An attacking error by Perez two points later gave Coast Guard set point, while a kill by Eloise Shirley solidified the 25-18 final with the Bears going up, 2-0 in the match.
SUNY New Paltz fought hard to extend the game into a fourth set, rallying from the brink of defeat at 24-19 to score six straight points to snatch set point from the Bears.
Jordyn Lewis served through the stretch, as Albrecht laid down a kill off an assist from Savage to quickly side out. Lewis tallied two aces and forced consecutive hitting errors in the run with Perez putting her team officially in front with a kill at 25-24.
The Bears put an end to the rally with a kill to tie the score before an ace gave them match point once again. A service error gave the Hawks life once more, but Coast Guard officially put the game away with a block and then a hitting error from SUNY New Paltz to finalize the third and deciding set, 28-26.
Albrecht led the team with 12 points on 11 kills, a block and seven digs. Perez followed with nine points on eight kills, one block and four digs, while hitting a productive, .350 in the match. Savage and Braun combined for 26 assists, while Lewis paced the Hawks in digs with 14 to go along with two aces.
The Hawks are back in action Saturday at the Scranton Invitational, taking on Misericordia at 1:30 p.m. before facing the hosting Royals at 6:30 p.m.
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