Utica, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly women's volleyball team battled through four sets but ultimately fell to the Hartwick College Hawks, 3–1. The Wildcats dropped the opening two frames 25–11 and 25–12, before responding with a resilient 25–23 victory in the third. Hartwick closed out the match with a strong fourth set, taking it 25–9. With the loss, SUNY Poly moves to 6–9 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The first set saw Hartwick jump out quickly behind the offensive pairing of Isabella Gracias and Samantha Garback. SUNY Poly found bright spots, with Abby Newell and Daniella Aluisio putting down early kills, and setter Grace Southwick adding a service ace. Kassity Cruz and Southwick each tallied points to keep the Wildcats in the mix midway through the frame, but Hartwick's steady attack built a cushion the Wildcats couldn't overcome, closing it out 25–11.
In the second, the Wildcats showed sparks of offense with Cruz and Aluisio converting off sets from Southwick, while Catherine McCourt entered to provide a defensive boost. However, Hartwick maintained momentum with strong serving from Mary Kinnane and steady net play from Shelby Swartz and Sophia Palladino. Newell broke through with a late kill to trim the deficit, but the Hawks held firm for a 25–12 win.
In the second, the Wildcats showed sparks of offense with Cruz and Aluisio converting off sets from Southwick, while Catherine McCourt entered to provide a defensive boost. However, Hartwick maintained momentum with strong serving from Mary Kinnane and steady net play from Shelby Swartz and Sophia Palladino. Newell broke through with a late kill to trim the deficit, but the Hawks held firm for a 25–12 win.
The fourth set saw Hartwick regain control behind a flurry of kills from Swartz and Garback, along with aggressive serving that kept Poly off balance. Aluisio and Taylor each tallied points for the Wildcats, but the Hawks closed the match on a dominant run to take the frame 25–9 and secure the 3–1 victory.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will look to bounce back on October 4th when they travel to square off with the Russell Sage Gators at 12:00 P.M.
