Albany, NY—The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball squad hosted the Hawks of Hartwick College on Saturday afternoon at Kahl Gym in an Empire 8 match. Sage won the first set, 25-17, but Hartwick won the next three sets to post the key Empire 8 win, 3-1 (17-25, 25-7, 25-12, 25-17). Hartwick is now 13-8 overall and 3-2 in the E8, while Sage falls to 4-19 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
Prior to the match Sage honored their seniors in conjunction with senior day. They included graduate performer Miranda Nethaway (Fonda, NY/Fonda Fultonville), and seniors Desiree Suits (Nelliston, NY/Fort Plain), Megan Ryder (Broadalbin, NY/Broadalbin Perth), Skylar Van Alstyne (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) Gabby Rowell (Morrisonville, NY/Beekmantown), and Caitlyn Class (Waterford, NY/Waterford Halfmoon).
For the Gators, Nethaway led the way with seven kills with a pair of digs and two blocks assists. Nethaway now has 498 career kills, while standing in the No. 16 spot on the career kill list at Sage. She is also fifth in career total blocks with 218 and now has 646.5 career points at Sage.
Ryder added a team-best 15 digs and picked up five kills with an ace for the Gators and now has 740 career digs with 57 aces and 230 kills at Sage. Rowell had a .250 attack percentage in the match with five kills and a solo block giving her 408 career kills, 35 aces, 354 digs and surpassed the 500 career point plateau as she has 506.5 points now.
Van Alstyne had four total blocks with thee kills for Sage in the action, as Suits collected nine digs in the match. Class had a pair of digs and kills in the contest.
Sophomore tri-captain Emma Parkington (Dalton, MA/Wahconah Regional) tallied five kills nine digs and an ace, while eight kills and eight digs, while junior defensive specialist Ashley Hintz (Kingston, NY/Kingston) had six digs in the match. Sophomore setter Francesca Gigliotti (Dalton, MA/ Wahconah Regional) racked up 12 setting assists, a pair of aces and four digs.
Hartwick's sophomore middle hitter Toria Betelak (North Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) added a match-high 15 kills and finished with 16.0 points after adding a .542 attack percentage with two block assists. Junior Maria Sorriento (Troy, NY/Troy) picked up 13 kills with eight digs and thee block assists. Junior libero Katie Boak (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) connected for five aces with 16 digs for the Hawks. Rookie Colette Maloney (Williston Park, NY/Mineola) added eight kills and 15 digs for Hartwick, while teammate sophomore setter Kayley Ericson (Franklin, CT/Norwich Free Academy) posted 40 setting assist with eight digs and three kills.
Sage hosts Union College on October 17 at 7 p.m. in a non-conference match in Kahl Gym. Hartwick College returns to action on the road on October 25 Nazareth College in a 6 p.m. Empire 8 match.