BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The University of Hartford volleyball picked up a pair of victories on Saturday evening defeating Massachusetts Maritime Academy by a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-18) final in the first match and a 3-2 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 15-10) final in the second match.
Rapid Recap (Match 1):
- The Hawks jumped ahead by a 3-0 score on a kill for sophomore Jenna Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.). Hartford pushed the lead to 10-3 as sophomore Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) added three kills while sophomore Kalle Legassey (Prospect, Conn.) added an ace. The Buccaneers cut the deficit to 16-15 midway through the set, but Je. Murphy closed things out with a pair of kills as the Hawks won 25-21.
- In the second set the Hawks led by a 5-1 score as the Murphy twins each got a kill. The Buccaneers went on a 5-0 run to take the lead back at 6-5. Hartford came back to take the lead with four-consecutive points including two kills by junior Sydney Ball (Enfield, Conn.) as the score was 14-12 Hartford. The Hawks eventually put the set away with a 8-1 run capped off by a service ace for sophomore Liahnna Orange (Linden, N.J.).
- The third set started with each team going on a 5-0 runs. The Hawks eventually took a 13-7 lead on a pair of kills by junior Juliana Robinshaw (South Windsor, Conn.). The Buccaneers kept the game close, but a pair of three-point spurts for Hartford led to a 25-18 set three win.
Inside the Numbers:
- Ball led the Hawks in the first match with 15 digs to go with seven kills. Jo. Murphy added 12 kills and 10 digs.
- Orange led the passing effort with 17 assists to go with nine digs and four aces, while junior Kylee Connally (Dallas, Texas) added 14 assists.
Rapid Recap (Match 2):
- Massachusetts Maritime took an early 8-4 lead in the first set. A 6-0 run for the home team pushed the lead to 14-6. The Hawks kept chipping away with three kills from Jo. Murphy in a 4-0 spurt. The Buccaneers led 24-20, but Hartford pushed the game to an even score with a four run with an ace for Legassey and three more kills to Jo. Murphy, but Massachusetts Maritime closed it out 26-24.
- Hartford stormed ahead in the second set to lead 7-2. The lead stayed consistent the whole way throughout the set, with the Hawks using a 4-0 closing run with two more kills for Robinshaw to close out the set 25-19 in favor of the visitors.
- The Hawks trailed the Bucs early 5-4 in the third set, but a four-point swing by Hartford put the Hawks in front. The teams battled with a close score eventually being tied again at 18-18. The teams were knotted again at 23, but the Hawks put the set away with a kill from Ball to win 25-23.
- Massachusetts Maritime took a 10-6 lead in the fourth set, while also pushing the lead to 19-12. Jo. Murphy netted back-to-back kills to chip away at the lead, but the Bucs held on for a 25-21 win.
- In the fifth set the Buccaneers held a 5-0 lead to start the set, but the Hawks battled back with a four-point spurt with a pair of aces for Ball. The Hawks continued to trail 8-5, but another a clutch 7-0 run led by a pair of kills by Jo. Murphy had the Hawks in front 12-8. Hartford put the match away on a kill by freshman Jordan Garrison (Ambridge, Pa.) to win the set 15-10.
Inside the Numbers:
- Jo. Murphy led the offense with a career-high 28 kills to go with 14 digs and three blocks. Ball had 15 digs to go with 12 kills and three aces.
- Connally led the passing effort with 28 assists to go with four aces and 11 digs.
Post Match Press:
"As a team we worked through the hard and good times of the match sticking together and persevered until the end", said sophomore
Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.).
Up Next:
The Hawks will begin Conference of New England (CNE) play on Wednesday September 25th with a 7:00 p.m. start.
For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
