GALLOWAY, NJ – The State University of New York New Paltz women's volleyball team traveled to Stockton University Saturday afternoon for a pair of matches, falling to the host Ospreys in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action before dropping its non-conference nightcap against Swarthmore College.
The Hawks (9-16 overall, 0-6 NJAC) opened the afternoon against Stockton, falling in straight sets, 25-17, 25-16, 25-16, before battling Swarthmore in another three-set decision, 25-23, 25-16, 25-18. Despite the results, SUNY New Paltz saw strong individual performances throughout the day, highlighted by Lexi Stragalas' efficient offensive showing against the Ospreys and a competitive opening frame against the Garnet.
Match One: Stockton University
SUNY New Paltz opened its conference matchup with a service ace from Jordyn Lewis before Stragalas delivered the Hawks' first kill of the afternoon. The teams traded points early, with Genevieve Boyle and Nora Keating contributing offensively as the opening set remained tied at seven.
Stockton began creating separation with a six-point run, turning a narrow 8-7 advantage into a 13-7 lead. The Hawks responded with kills from Boyle and Stragalas, while Christine Balbona and Lola Konopa contributed at the net.
Despite continued production from Stragalas, Stockton maintained its advantage down the stretch, securing the opening set, 25-17.
The Hawks began the second set with another kill from Stragalas, who continued to lead the offensive effort. Courtney Meyer added a service ace to bring SUNY New Paltz level at six, but the Ospreys responded with a scoring run to regain control.
Stockton continued building its advantage behind an efficient attack, limiting the Hawks' opportunities to string together consecutive points. SUNY New Paltz remained active defensively, but the Ospreys claimed the second frame, 25-16.
The Hawks looked to extend the match in the third set, continuing to rely on Stragalas and their presence at the net. However, Stockton maintained its offensive rhythm, recording 15 kills while hitting .345 in the final frame to complete the sweep with another 25-16 decision.
Stragalas paced SUNY New Paltz with 14 kills on an impressive .429 hitting percentage, committing just two errors on 28 attempts. NJAC Rookie of the Week Genevieve Boyle followed with seven kills, while Keating added three.
Elena Savage directed the offense with 22 assists, while Balbona anchored the defensive effort with three solo blocks and two block assists. Lewis recorded a team-high seven digs, and Meyer contributed three service aces.
Stockton finished with a 44-27 advantage in kills and a 38-29 edge in digs, while narrowly leading in total blocks, 7-6.
Match Two: Swarthmore College
SUNY New Paltz came out aggressively in its second match of the afternoon, jumping ahead 6-1 in the opening set behind a kill from Savage and a service ace from Lewis. Balbona followed with consecutive solo blocks before Keating capped the early run with a kill.
Swarthmore responded to even the score at eight, setting the stage for a back-and-forth opening frame. The teams traded points throughout the middle stages, with Kaylee DeGroat contributing offensively to keep the Hawks within striking distance.
SUNY New Paltz regained the advantage late, taking a 19-17 lead before the Garnet answered with four consecutive points to move ahead, 21-19. The Hawks continued battling, tying the frame at 22 following a service ace from Jacklyn Bitter.
After Swarthmore regained a one-point advantage, Keating delivered another kill to even the score at 23. However, the Garnet claimed the final two points to escape with a narrow 25-23 opening-set victory.
SUNY New Paltz again struck first in the second set, taking a 2-0 advantage behind a block from Tess Egan and a kill from Stragalas. Swarthmore responded with a five-point run, fueled by consecutive service aces from Maya Sheridan, and eventually extended its lead to 9-3.
The Hawks worked to close the gap behind contributions from DeGroat, Genevieve Carson and Lola Konopa, but the Garnet maintained control of the frame, ultimately earning a 25-16 victory to take a two-set lead.
SUNY New Paltz continued competing in the third set, recording 10 kills while hitting .200, its most efficient attacking frame of the match. However, Swarthmore remained consistent offensively, registering 11 kills and hitting .267 to close out the contest, 25-18.
DeGroat led the Hawks with eight kills and eight digs, while Keating followed with six kills. Savage added five kills on a .500 hitting percentage without an attacking error, while contributing 17 assists and two block assists.
Carson finished with four kills on eight attempts without an error, while Egan led the Hawks defensively at the net with three total blocks. Balbona added two solo blocks and three kills, while Meyer, Lewis and DeGroat each recorded eight digs.
SUNY New Paltz finished with 31 kills compared to Swarthmore's 33, while holding a 6-3 advantage in total blocks. The Garnet held a 13-3 edge in service aces and narrowly led in digs, 40-38.
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