SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Hartford volleyball team hit the road Wednesday night to take on Conference of New England (CNE) opponent Western New England University and came away with a clean sweep. The Hawks took down the Golden Bears in straight sets by scores of 25-16, 25-17, 25-18.

Rapid Recap:

• Hartford came out firing in the opening set, jumping ahead early thanks to a balanced attack and tactical serving. Freshman Lauren Johnson (Fort Collins, Colo.) sparked the Hawks' offense with a pair of kills midway through the frame, while senior Juliana Robinshaw (South Windsor, Conn.) added energy from the service line. She delivered an ace to extend the Hawks lead to 11-8. Junior Jenna Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) and sister junior Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) connected for crucial kills onto the Golden Bears' court. Senior Kylee Connally (Dallas, Texas) closed out the first set in style with back-to-back service aces to give Hartford the 25-16 set win.
• Hartford carried its momentum into the second set, again establishing control early thanks to a strong start at the service line. Junior Kalle Legassey (Prospect, Conn.) made a major impact, notching back-to-back service aces as the Hawks jumped ahead 6-3. Robinshaw continued to be a powerhouse with timely kills to keep Hartford in front. The Hawks ran away with this set 25-17, giving them a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The Hawks stayed in rhythm to open the third, quickly taking charge behind the front-line play of Jo. Murphy and Johnson. The Hawks' defense stood tall with multiple combined blocks from Connally and freshman Camille Earl (Houston, Texas) to help quiet WNE's attack. Connally capped off the night, delivering the match-clinching kill to give the Hawks a 25-18 win in the set and a 3-0 sweep over the Golden Bears.

Inside the Numbers:

• Jo. Murphy led the Hawks with 11 kills, while Robinshaw followed closely with 10, Johnson added seven kills, and Cosby dished out the team-high 18 assists.
• Connally had 13 assists of her own, Legassey led the defensive effort with 12 digs.
• As a team the Hawks slammed a total of 38 kills and dove for an impressive 48 digs.

Up Next:
The Hawks return home to celebrate senior day on Friday October 24th in a tri-match against Hamilton at 3:00 PM and Wheaton College at 7:00 PM.