WAYNE, NJ – The State University of New York New Paltz women's volleyball team continued New Jersey Athletic Conference play Thursday night, traveling to William Paterson University for a matchup against the Pioneers inside the Sports and Recreation Center.
The Hawks struggled to find their offensive rhythm on the road, with William Paterson taking the match in straight sets, 25-10, 25-21 and 25-9.
The Pioneers established control early in the opening set, using an efficient offensive attack to create separation. William Paterson totaled 17 kills while hitting .282 in the frame, limiting SUNY New Paltz to four kills as the hosts secured the opening set, 25-10.
After a cold start, SUNY New Paltz responded with its strongest performance of the night in the second. The Hawks produced 14 kills in the frame, more than their total from the first and third sets combined and battled the Pioneers throughout the set.
Christine Balbona helped lead the response offensively as SUNY New Paltz remained within striking distance. The Hawks hit .140 in the frame while their defense held William Paterson to 11 kills and a .162 hitting percentage.
The teams remained competitive down the stretch, but the Pioneers ultimately created the late separation they needed to earn the 25-21 victory and take a two-set advantage.
William Paterson carried the momentum into the third and put together its best offensive set of the match. The Pioneers committed just one attacking error on 27 attempts, hitting .519 with 15 kills to pull away and seal the contest.
Balbona highlighted the night for SUNY New Paltz with an outstanding individual performance, putting down a team-high 11 kills on just 15 attempts with two errors for a .600 hitting percentage. Lexi Stragalas followed with four kills and four block assists, while Tess Egan contributed two kills on five swings and three block assists.
Elena Savage facilitated the offense with 17 assists, while Jordyn Lewis paced the defensive effort with 15 digs. Kim Braun added seven digs and four assists.
William Paterson finished with a 43-24 advantage in kills and outhit SUNY New Paltz, .301 to .081. The Pioneers also held an 8-1 advantage from the service line, while the Hawks edged the hosts at the net with six total blocks compared to five.
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