WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hartford volleyball team dropped a three-set decision to #10 New York University, falling by a 3-0 (10-25, 14-25, 21-25) final. The Violets used a pair of dominant serving runs in the opening two sets before holding off a late Hartford rally in the third to secure the sweep.
Rapid Recap:
- NYU jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the opening set, using a strong serving stretch from Daniela Laing and several Hartford attack errors to establish control. The Violets continued to build their advantage with kills from Casey Cho and a service ace from Kate Scherlacher to take a 12-4 lead. Hartford would get kills from freshman Calla McCombs (Bloomfield, N.Y.) and Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) to try and cut into the deficit, but NYU continued to pull away. The Violets closed the set on a 4-0 run, with Coco Barton adding a service ace before Lucianna Welles finished the set with a kill for the 25-10 victory.
- The Violets carried their momentum into the second set, with the teams trading the opening points before NYU used an 8-0 run to take a commanding 10-2 lead. Scherlacher led the surge with three service aces, while Chloe Hynes and KylieEmma Obeto each contributed kills during the stretch. Hartford attempted to respond with kills from junior Rylee Miller (Sunriver, Ore.) and McCombs, but NYU continued to maintain its advantage behind a balanced attack. The Violets would extend their lead late with a service ace from Cho and a key block from Hynes and Barton to close out the 25-14 set victory.
- Hartford looked to battle back in the third set, but NYU opened with a 7-1 run behind a pair of kills from Welles and a strong defensive presence at the net. The Hawks began to find their rhythm, gradually cutting into the deficit before eventually pulling within 18-16 following a three-point stretch that included a service ace from Arianna Mapa and NYU attack errors. NYU responded with timely plays from Hynes, who teamed up with Sienna Morales for a critical block before adding a kill to help the Violets regain control. Hartford continued to fight late, but kills from Chloe Lemons and Welles helped NYU close out the 25-21 set victory and complete the sweep.
Post-Match Press:
"The reason we played the best in the country a few times this season is to measure us. The future of our program can only become visible and tangible by experiencing what it looks like on the other side of the net," said Head Coach
Johan Dulfer. "I thought we grew into the match tonight and started passing and serving better as the match wore on. Our blocking, especially in the middle, was good all night. We got lots of touches. When we play with fire and passion for each other and for the game, it's so much fun to be part of this program. We are excited for tomorrow."
Inside the Numbers:
- McCombs led Hartford with nine kills and 10 points, while Miller added five kills. Murphy contributed four kills and three total blocks, while sophomore Mattea Cosby (Enfield, Conn.) paced the offense with 14 assists.
- On the defensive end, Murphy led Hartford with three blocks, Cosby also added two blocks, and McCombs finished with two blocks and five digs.
- NYU was led by Welles, who finished with eight kills and three blocks for a team-high 9.5 points. Cho added seven kills and five digs, while Hynes recorded four kills on seven attempts for a .429 hitting percentage.
- NYU held a 31-21 advantage in kills and a 10-1 edge in service aces. The Violets also led in assists (25-18) and digs (35-31), while outhitting Hartford .200 to -.022.
Up Next:
Hartford volleyball is back in action tomorrow, October 31st for a Conference of New England match up against Curry College. First serve is scheduled for 4:00 PM at Chase Arena.
For the latest information Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on
Facebook,
Instagram,
X, and
YouTube.
