BOX SCORE

West Hartford, CT ? The Hartford Hawks volleyball team won the Hartford Hawks invitational after defeating all three of its opponents in three games over the two-day event. The Hawks closed out the tournament with a 3-0 win over the Holy Cross Crusaders to guarantee them the team title. Hartford was led over the weekend by tournament MVP Jennifer Monroy.

Hartford began its third match of the weekend impressively by breaking out to a 15-4 lead. That advantage was made possible by runs of seven and four and included a total of three aces and three kills from Teri Connolly. The Crusaders began to whittle away at the lead to pull within one in the final minutes, 24-23 on a Christine Strawson kill. Hartford would put that match in the books with a kill from Connolly followed by a service ace for Ljiljana Zecevic.

The second game began the way the first ended with the teams keeping it close including a 15-15 tie on a kill from Molly Anderson. The Hawks then used a four and a five point run to pull out to a 27-19 lead on a Monroy kill off a Sarah Rasor assist. The hawks would again turn to Zecevic to close the book on the second game this time with a kill set up from Erica Paulson.

The third game stayed close throughout with neither team leading by more than five. Holy Cross took its largest lead of the tournament on a kill from Meredith Beatrice. The Hawks then turned in two three point runs and a run of four to regain the lead. The teams continued to trade points until a four point run put Hartford on top 27-23. The Hawks finished things off with a kill from Erin Macro.

Prior to the Hartford game the Providence Friars defeated Sacred Heart 3-0 to guarantee them second place in the tournament. Sacred Heart finised in third overall while Holy Cross finished fourth.

The Hawks will be back in action next Friday and Saturday when they travel to New York, N.Y. to compete in the Columbia University Invitational. Hartford opens the tournament with Hofstra on Friday at 5:00 p.m. and will meet the host and New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday.