Albany, NY—Sage's women's volleyball team hosted Union College on Thursday night in a non-conference match. Union posted a 3-1 win over the Gators, (25-16, 23-25, 25-19, 25-11) and improves to 10-10, while the loss puts Sage at 4-20.
Thursday's contest marked the final home match for Sage's seniors that includes 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 posted her 500th career kill in the match and finished with seven kills, a dig and a block assists. She now has 505 career kills putting her in a tie with Jessica Nelson (2005-2007) for the No. 15 spot on the Gator career list. She is also fifth in career total blocks with 219 and now has 654 career points at Sage.
Ryder led Sage with her eight kills and 10 digs, with a pair of block assists and had just one receiving error in 12 attempts for a .923 receiving percentage. Ryder now has 750 career digs with 57 aces.
Sophomore tri-captain Emma Parkington (Dalton, MA/Wahconah Regional) tallied five kills and added 10 digs, while junior defensive specialist Ashley Hintz (Kingston, NY/Kingston) had nine digs and was a perfect with no receiving errors in 18 attempts. Sophomore setter Francesca Gigliotti (Dalton, MA/ Wahconah Regional) racked up eight setting assists and had three aces with a kill and 10 digs.
Rowell had three kills for the Gators with a pair of block assists elevating her career resume to include 411 career kills with 355 digs and 510.5 career points. Van Alstyne had two block assists with a kill, while Suits collected six digs in the match.
Union's junior outside hitter Gillian Gore (Bronx, NY/Fieldston) added a match-best 20.0 points as she had a double-double on 21 digs with 17 kills. She had a pair of aces with two block assists to pace Union. Junior outside hitter Lara Atalay (Port Jefferson, NY/Ward Mellville) added 15.5 points having tallied 11 kills with 16 digs and just two receiving errors on 21 attempts. Junior defensive specialist Kaylee Velasquez (West Suffield, CT/Suffield) added 15 digs with three aces and was a perfect 10-0 on receiving attempts for Union. Rookie Denesha Lafontant (Brockton, MA/Brockton) added eight kills with five block assists to go with her two digs and had a .429 attack percentage in the contest.
Sage is back in action on the road at Houghton College on October 25 for a 7 p.m. Empire 8 match next Friday. Union College hosts Brockport State and Arcadia University on October 19 in a tri-match this Saturday.