POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Hartford women's volleyball team split a pair of matches on day one of the Volley in the Valley hosted by the Marist College Red Foxes. The Hawks (2-4 overall) opened the day with a five set win over the Fordham Rams before falling in three sets to the host.

For the day, sophomore Sareeta Nethersole led the team with 29 total kills and 30 total digs. The utility hitter opened the day with 21 kills and 20 digs, completing her fourth double double of the season against the Rams. Her 21 kills was the second straight match she has recorded 20 or more and the third straight in double figures, while she has been in double figures on the defensive side in all six matches to date. In the second match of the day, Nethersole tied older sister Kami Nethersole for the team lead with eight kills.

In the opening match, the Hawks worked from behind after dropping the first set by a 25-15 margin, but battled back to take a 2-1 lead in the match with 25-20 and 28-26 scores in sets two and three, respectively. The Rams forced the fifth and final set with a 25-22 victory in the second set, but the Hawks cruised to victory in the final set with a 15-8 final, including the final three points of the set and winning the match on a service ace from rookie Lindsey Compton.

(Sareeta) Nethersole was the only Hawk to finish with double figures against Fordham, while also finishing with a.319 hitting average. She suffered just six errors in 47 total attacks. Junior Dionna Kirton also hit well, finishing second overall with nine kills and a .217 average with four errors in 23 swings. Sophomore setter Jackie Tamburri finished with 43 assists, while (Sareeta) Nethersole was joined by junior Saara Carissimi (10 digs) in leading the team defensively.

The Hawks opened the final match of the day with a 25-22 victory over the Red Foxes, but dropped the next three by scores of 25-7, 25-15 and 25-17. As a team, the Hawks hitting struggled against Marist, combining for a team hitting average of .024 with 34 kills and 31 errors in 125 total attacks.

Against the hosts, Compton led the Hawks hitting efforts with a .375 average hitting just one error to go along with four kills in eight total attacks. Finishing behind the Nethersole's in leading the team were Lindsay Anderson with seven and Kirton with six. Tamburri finished the second match of the day with 26 assists, while she and (Sareeta) Nethersole led the team on the defensive end with 11 and 10 digs, respectively.

The Hawks will close out the Volley in the Valle on Sunday morning when they face the NJIT Highlanders. The match is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m.