Albany, NY- The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball team hosted the Raptors of Bard College on Wednesday night in Kahl Gym in the Gators' 2017 home opener. The Gators were taken to five sets but came away with a 3-2 win, topping Bard, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 16-14 and improve to 3-7 on the season. Bard drops to 3-5.
Sage's sophomore middle hitter Miranda Nethaway (Fonda, NY/Fonda Fultonville) led the Gators with her impressive 16 kills and added seven digs with six total blocks in the win a she led the team with her 19.5 points.
Senior captain Alyssa Nellis (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) added nine kills and added 12 digs with 16 setting assists, five total blocks with an ace and had 13.0 points in the contest. Senior defensive specialist Missy Schneiderman (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) led the team with her 15 digs in the contest with one ace.
Rookie Gabby Rowell (Morrisonville, NY/Beekmantown) added six kills with 12 digs with two aces, while junior Brittany Orminski (Galway, NY/Galway) added 18 setting assists with 10 digs.
Schneiderman now has 1,142 career digs and is currently in 11th place just behind Caitlin (CJ) Ostrowski (2004-2006) who has 1,149 digs, while her 111 career aces is 18th best at Sage. Nellis has added 147 career total blocks and is ninth place on the Gator career list.
Bard's senior outside hitter led the team with her double-double as she had 15 kills with 12 digs and a team-best 15.5 points. Junior setter Victoria Chou (Singapore) racked up 35 setting assists in the contest with three aces, and 12 digs for the Raptors. Sophomore defensive specialists Emily Anastasi (Cornwall, NY/Cornwall) and Lia Taus (Bend, OR/Summit) had 43 digs between them as Anastasi had 23 digs and Taus added 20 with four aces. The Raptors combined for 12 aces in the match and held Sage to a 0.089 attack percentage in the contest.
Sage is back in action on Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16 with the Sage Fall Festival. Sage will face College of Mt. St. Vincent on Friday at 4 p.m. and Skidmore College at 8 p.m. Bard returns to action September 15 travelling to Oswego State to compete in the Lakers' tournament with matches on Friday at 5 and 7 p.m.