NEW PALTZ, NY — The SUNY New Paltz women's volleyball team battled visiting Vassar College through five tightly contested sets Friday afternoon to open the Hawk Invitational at the Hawk Center, but the Brewers escaped with a 3-2 victory after taking a dramatic fifth set, 17-15.
The Hawks fell by set scores of 26-24, 24-26, 13-25, 25-20 and 17-15. Despite the loss, SUNY New Paltz held the advantage in hitting percentage (.133-.105), service aces (18-14) and blocks (15-5), while finishing with 82 total points to Vassar's 71. The Hawk Invitational field features host SUNY New Paltz alongside Vassar, Colby-Sawyer and Springfield.
After falling behind 7-1 in the opening set, the Hawks clawed their way back with an 8-0 run behind the serving of Jordyn Lewis. First-year outside hitter Genevieve Boyle sparked the stretch with three kills before Lexi Stragalas and Christine Balbona added kills of their own to get the offense flowing. The senior tandem of Balbona and Stragalas then combined for a block before Lewis delivered back-to-back aces to push SUNY New Paltz in front, 9-7. The two sides battled down the stretch, but Vassar ultimately edged the Hawks, 26-24, to take the early advantage in a nail-biting first set.
SUNY New Paltz answered in another back-and-forth second set. Neither team was able to create much separation before the Hawks delivered with the set on the line. Stragalas put away a kill to even the score at 24 before Balbona and Boyle combined for a block to give SUNY New Paltz set point. Lewis then closed out the 26-24 win with a timely ace to even the match at one set apiece.
Coach Giufre's squad carried the momentum into the third, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. SUNY New Paltz hit a match-best .219 in the frame while holding the Brewers to a negative hitting percentage, cruising to a 25-13 victory and taking a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Despite a cold third set, cross-town foe Vassar responded in the fourth, hitting .231 and building enough separation to pull away from SUNY New Paltz and force a decisive fifth set with a 25-20 win.
SUNY New Paltz came out firing in the fifth behind Kim Braun, opening the set with four consecutive points and forcing a Vassar timeout. Boyle put down two kills during the run, Balbona added another and Braun delivered an ace to give the Hawks an early 4-0 advantage. The Brewers quickly worked their way back, however, responding with a four-point spurt of their own to set up a dramatic finish. The see-saw affair continued throughout the decisive set as both sides battled for the opening match of the Invitational. With the teams tied at 14, Nora Keating delivered a kill off an assist from Elena Savage to give SUNY New Paltz match point at 15-14. Vassar quickly turned the tables, answering with three straight points, capped by a service ace from Holland Kaplan, to steal the deciding set, 17-15.
Boyle led the Hawks offensively with 13 kills while adding 14 digs for a double-double. Stragalas followed with 11 kills, while Lola Konopa added nine kills on a team-best .333 hitting percentage, continuing her red-hot start to her senior campaign. Balbona delivered a complete performance with eight kills and seven total blocks, while Konopa and Stragalas each also totaled seven blocks as the Hawks proved lethal at the net.
Braun paced the offense with 22 assists while Savage added 14, with both setters finishing with five service aces. Lewis matched them with five aces of her own and anchored the back row with a team-high 21 digs. Boyle added 14 digs and Jacklyn Bitter chipped in 12 as the Hawks gave it their all but fell just short in the non-conference bout.
