WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hawks hosted the Conference of New England (CNE) University of New England in a competitive five-set match. In the end, Hartford weathered the storm and won 3-2 (25-15, 22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10).
Rapid Recap:
- Freshman Calla McCombs (Bloomfield, N.Y.) started the set off strong with four consecutive four-point plays, two kills and two aces, to kickstart Hartford's 5-1 lead. The Nor'easters would try to shorten the lead as the Hawks continued to dominate, going on a 13-8 run, setting the score to 17-9. With a collective of 6 kills from McCombs, Sophomore Camille Earl (Houston, T.X.), Freshman Amara Rhodes (Merced, Calif.), and Senior Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, C.T.) Hartford closed the first set with a final of 25-15.
- In the early second set, UNE caught a quick lead at 4-1, but the Hawks quickly clawed back with a five-point run as Murphy got her third block of the night. As both teams continue to trade points, Hartford maintains their lead with a score of 20-17. The Nor'easters refused to go down without a fight, coming back from the four-point deficit to secure the second set 25-22.
- In similar fashion to the second set, both teams would go point-for-point until UNE gained a 4-point lead, setting the score to 14-10. The Nor'easters continued to outscore the Hawks in the third set, pushing the lead to seven points. Multiple kills by McCombs, Sophomore Lauren Johnson (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Junior Rylee Miller (Sunriver, Ore.) were able to give Hartford the boost they needed to go on an 11-3 run and take the third set with a score of 25-23.
- Rhodes played a large role in the third set, contributing seven assists and one ace to keep the Hawks in the contest with UNE as they were 17-17. Seeking to grasp a lead, Johnson, McCombs and Freshman Aribella Stephens (St. Louis, Mo.) put points on the table, but it wasn't enough for Hartford. Breaking off from the tied game, the Nor'easters found a groove and took the lead, winning the fourth set 25-22.
- Fighting down to the wire, UNE caught a short lead of 3-1, until the Hawks shortened it with two more kills by Miller, tying the game at 4-4. Showcasing their grit and perseverance, Hartford went on an 11-6 run with two final kills from Johnson to close out the set 15-10 and win today's match.
Inside the Numbers:
- Rhodes was a catalyst for today's match, recording 38 assists and 12 digs to hold the team together.
- Freshman Belen Butler (San Diego, Calif.) guided the final set, marking 2 assists, 2 aces, and 5 digs.
- The Hawks outdid the Nor'easters tonight with a total of 56 kills.
- Josie Eliot led UNE with 7 kills, 7 blocks, and 3 digs.
- UNE doubled Hartford in blocks, totaling 16 blocks for the day.
Post Game Press:
"We were embodying being together, we have a bunch of family words that we put together at the start of the season. I think we really embodied one of them which is
mudita, which is to be happy for each other and fight as one." Butler said post match.
"I am so proud of the work we put in last week in practice and how the girls came out today. We made some tweaks to our serving strategy and have been very deliberate about reducing our burden of error. The result tonight was a hard fought match that could've gone either way, but finally fell in our favor. We seem to have something with five set matches, which is no longer a coincidence. It shows a growing confidence in each other and in the process that we have engaged in and that makes me very happy." Head Coach
Johan Dulfer said after the match.
Up Next:
The Hawks will seek another conference win at home as they host Nichols College on Wednesday, October 21 at 6PM
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