Women's Volleyball | 9/29/2023 10:11:00 PM
ONEONTA, NY – The host Hartwick College Hawks (5-6 Overall, 1-0 Empire 8) used a 17-kill performance from Shaelyn Thornton (Scarborough, Me.) to defeat the visiting Keuka College Wolves (10-4 Overall, 0-1 Empire 8) in a five-set thriller from Binder Gymnasium on Friday night. Hartwick won the first two sets, 25-21, 25-22 before Keuka made a furious rally to win the third and fourth sets by identical 26-24 scores. Hartwick took the fifth and deciding set, 15-8 to secure the win.
Keuka senior Dayna Edholm slammed a match-high 26 kills to go along with 11 kills for the visiting Wolves. Hartwick had four players record double-digit kills on the evening.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Hartwick used a balanced attack to pick up a first and second set wins.
- Shaelyn Thornton (Scarborough, Me.) paced the offense across those two sets, putting away 8 kills.
- Niah Reeves (Binghamton, N.Y.) notched six, while Staecia Silofau (Kapolei, Hawaii) and Shelby Swartz (Candor, N.Y.) put away five each.
- The Wolves turned the tables on the Hawks in the third set, forcing the home squad to play from behind for most of the set.
- Down 20-16, Thornton put one away to give the serve back to Hartwick.
- Mary Kinnane (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) entered the match to serve and proceeded to help the Hawks knot the score up 20-20.
- However, Keuka was able to outlast Hartwick to take the third set 26-24.
- The fourth set would be a grind for both teams with 12 tie scores and four lead changes throughout the set.
- Keuka was once again able to come out on top, picking up another 26-24 win.
- Forced into their third straight five-set match, the Hawks made the most out of a handful of small runs to take an early 8-4 lead.
- Needing only seven more points to take the set and match win, Hartwick fed Reeves in the middle and Thornton on the outside as the two combined for seven of the 10 kills in the set to propel the Hawks to the 15-8 win.
- Thornton ended the night with 17 kills, followed closely by Silofau who ended with 15.
- Reeves and Swartz rounded out their nights with 12 kills each.
- Defensively, the Hawks put on a clinic at the net, putting away 29 assisted blocks, and one big solo block from Aaliyah Williams (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.).
- Thornton also contributed defensively, tying libero, Sarah Petz (Webster, N.Y.) with 19 digs across the five sets.
- Swartz recorded 12 digs, while setter, Vanessa Seymour (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) added 10 to go along with her 52 assists.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
Hartwick returns to their home court tomorrow afternoon to take on the Utica University Pioneers in another Empire 8 contest at 1 PM.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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