WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Hartford volleyball team fell in straight sets to Chicago State Friday night. The Hawks fall to 2-23 on the season, while the Cougars improve to 7-15 on the year.
CHICAGO STATE 3, HARTFORD 0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-20)
SET ONE: The match started out as a back-and-forth affair as both teams entered a 2-2 deadlock. The Cougars would then take over going on 3-0 run to take a 5-2 lead. However, the Hawks would respond closing the gap to two points when the score was 9-7. However, after a Hartford timeout, Chicago State would use an 8-0 run to reopen the gap and ultimately take the first set 25-11.
SET TWO: The Cougars started the second set taking an early 2-0 lead. The Hawks responded immediately after as senior outside hitter
Greta De Gasper and junior outside hitter
Uzezi Ijoma each recorded kills to tie the game at two apiece. After two errors from the Chicago State attack, Hartford would take a 4-2 advantage for its first lead of the match. The Cougars would use a 5-0 run to regain the lead at 7-4. Senior middle blocker
Sara Gasparotto fueled a 3-0 run for the Hawks, to regain the lead at 12-11. However, Chicago State would pull away going on a 14-2 run to take the second set 25-14.
SET THREE: The third and final set proved again to be a close affair early on as the two sides played out a 5-5 tie. After the Cougars took an 8-5 advantage, senior setter
Lika Nkenchor and freshman middle blocker Sydney Luchs blocked an attack attempt from Maria Lopez Torres Tapia, before De Gasper would place back-to-back service aces into the defensive set of Chicago State to tie the game back at eight apiece. After going back-and-forth through the latter half of the third set, Chicago State would break open the game, taking the third and final set by a score of 25-20.
NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS
De Gasper paced the team with eight kills and two service aces … freshman outside hitter Lindzi Thomas led the Hawks on defense, tallying eight digs … Nkenchor racked up 11 assists on the night.
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford is back in action Saturday for the final match of the season against Chicago State. First serve from the Hartford Volleyball Gym between the Hawks and Cougars is set for 6 p.m.
