WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to the Albany Great Danes on Sunday afternoon at the Reich Family Pavilion. The loss stops a two-game streak for Hartford (8-15, 2-5 America East), while the Great Danes remain undefeated in conference play (7-0, 10-12 overall). Hartford was led by four players in double figures with junior Taylor McCreery leading all with 13 kills.

Joining McCreery among the leading hitters was senior Kami Nethersole who finished with 10 kills and sophomores Sareeta Nethersole and Kathryn Gawrych who each finished with 11. The 11 kills for Gawrych is a career-high and her first in double figures as a Hawk. Overall, the Hawks finished the match hitting .187 with 56 total kills and 24 errors in 171 attacks. Sophomore setter Jackie Tamburri finished the afternoon with 44 assists.

Defensively, the Hawks were led by four players in double figures, including a season-high 22 from libero Dionna Kirton, which led the squad. Tamburri and both Nethersole sisters finished with double doubles. Tamburri was second defensively with 14 digs, while Sareeta and Kami each finished with 13.

The Great Danes came out of the gate and scored the opening point of the day on a kill from Sara Pope and extended their early lead to as much as -2 before the Hawks used a five-point rally to take their first lead of the match on back-to-back kills (Kami) Nethersole and Gawrych. The Hawks would hold that advantage until a four-point scamper from the Great Danes provided them with a 16-13 advantage.

Albany managed to hold that lead until another five-point scurry from the Hawks provided the third and final lead change of the set. The run included four-straight kills for Hartford, two each from Gawrych and McCreery. The Hawks would hold off a late attempt by the visitors to regain a lead. After Albany tied the match at 23, Nethersole responded with a kill and an error on the Great Danes gave the Hawks the early advantage.

The Great Danes again opened up an early lead in the second set, this time scoring the first four points of the match. Following a kill from (Sareeta) Nethersole which put Hartford on the board, the Hawks responded by rattling off four-straight to tie the set at four, the first of three total ties in the game.

Albany opened up as much as a five point advantage, 11-6, but Hartford battled late in the set, eventually taking a 22-20 lead on a four-point rally that included kills from Lindsay Anderson, Gawrych and (Kami) Nethesole. Albany responded to that late Hartford lead with back-to-back kills from Pope and despite a kill from (Kami) Nethersole, Pope was able to send the match into the extended break tied at one with a third kill in the final five points.

Entering the third set, Hartford would benefit from the first point, which came by way of a service ace from Tamburri. The Great Danes answered right back by taking their first lead, and the only one they would need, with a four-point run that included three errors on the Hawks. After trading the next two points, a three point rally for Hartford tied the match at five, but the visitors answered with runs of their own that led to an eventual 15-10 lead.

Another service ace from Tamburri capped off a run that saw Hartford pull within striking distance late in the third set, 22-20. The Great Danes answered by scoring three of the final four points to secure their first lead in the match with a 2-1 advantage.

Hartford again opened the fourth set with the first point coming on an error against the Great Danes, who then responded by taking nine of the next 11 points, opening up a 9-3 early advantage. The Hawks wouldn't be able to recover from that early Great Danes lead, trailing by as much as 10 late in the set. Pope would close out the match with another kill, her match-high 21st of the night.

Hartford will play its final home match of the season, concluding a six-game home stretch, on Sunday, October 28 against the Stony Brook Seawolves at the Reich Family Pavilion. Prior to the match, the Hawks will honor their lone senior member, Kami Nethersole. Hartford and Stony Brook are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start.