Schenectady, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz split its two matches Saturday at the Union Tournament, earning a five-set win over Hartwick before falling in three sets to Williams College.
 
The match against Hartwick went back and forth with SUNY New Paltz ultimately winning: 25-19, 19-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11.
 
Statistically, SUNY New Paltz dominated, scoring more points (80-59) and tallying more kills (56-48), aces (14-7), blocks (10-4), assists (53-47) and digs (62-56), but hit .166 as a team with Hartwick averaging slightly better at .173.
 
Jordyn Lewis served for ace on back-to-back points to gain SUNY New Paltz a comfortable, 21-15 lead in the first set. Following a kill by freshman outside Reagan Dyba and a service error, SUNY New Paltz held set point following a hitting error by Hartwick at 24-17. Another service error then sealed the 1-0 three points later.
 
After dropping the second set, which tied the game at 1-1, SUNY New Paltz used a dominant 11-point run while down by five points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
A service error allowed Maria Weigand to hold serve for SUNY New Paltz. Dyba, Nora Keating, Lola Konopa, Kim Braun and again Dyba all swung for consecutive kills with Hartwick having no answers, allowing SUNY New Paltz to get in front, 22-19. A solo block by Konopa followed by a kill from Braun to end a rally resulted in set point with Hartwick handing the third to SUNY New Paltz on an attacking error.
 
Similar outcome to the third, though it was Hartwick which ended the set with an unanswered stretch from its opposition. SUNY New Paltz held a 19-17 lead in the fourth, but a kill allowed Hartwick to side-out and from there, it scored the next seven points, helped by three hitting errors from the Hawks to tie the match at 2-2.  
SUNY New Paltz held an 8-5 lead at the switch in the fifth, thanks to consecutive kills by Lexi Stragalas, Mirella Valluzzi and Knopa before a Stragalas ace capped the run. Dyba extended her team's lead to 13-8 following a kill off an assist from Braun, but Hartwick fought to get within three before Braun went back to Dyba who connected to push the score to match point. Fittingly, Dyba solidified the win, registering another kill this time with Elena Savage facilitating  the assist on the game-winning point.
 
Konopa was the catalyst for the Hawks on both sides of the net. The junior middle tallied 10 kills, five assists and a team-leading seven blocks including a career-high five solo blocks for a team-high 16 points. Dyba registered a team-high 13 kills, hitting .267 with a block and two digs for 13.5 points, while Stragalas hit a productive .300 in the match with nine kills, three assists, three aces, two blocks and two digs for 13.5 points. Weigand added seven kills, two aces, a block and a team-high 15 digs, while Braun finished with a team-leading 25 assists to go along with two kills, an ace and 13 digs.
 
SUNY New Paltz couldn't carry the win's momentum into its second match of the afternoon against a very talented Williams Ephs team. The Hawks took just their third loss of the year, losing 25-12, 25-14, 25-17.
 
Dyba was the Hawks' top point getter, totaling six kills, a block and four digs for 6.5 points. Valluzzi and Keating followed with five kills apiece with the latter also adding a block and a dig. Courtney Meyer led the team defensively with five digs and two aces, while Braun again was the team's top facilitator, recording 13 assists, one ace and five digs.
 
Dyba was named to the Union Crosstown Challenge All-Tournament alongside Bethany's Avery Braymer, Hartwick's Shelby Swartz, Oneonta's Emma Morretta, Oswego's Kalley Vugteveen, Sage's Aniyah Kelley, Union's Shannon McGrath and Georgia Pool and Williams' Tatum Baker and Keeley Campuzano, who also was named as the tournament MVP.
 
SUNY New Paltz will have a full week's rest before going back on the road to compete in the Misericordia Tournament, playing the hosting Cougars at 12 p.m. before facing William Paterson University at 2 p.m. Saturday.
 
 
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