HOUGHTON, NY – The Houghton Highlanders capped the 2018 campaign on a positive note, defeating the Keuka Wolves, 3-0, in the final match of the season.
 
Houghton lost the first match of the day to SUNY Cortland, 3-1, before defeating Keuka
 
Game #1 Recap:
The Red Dragons swept through the first two sets, as the Highlanders scored only 30 points. 
 
Houghton, however, would not go quietly, storming back to take the third set, 25-19, thanks to 14 kills and a .367 attack percentage. 
 
In the fourth set, Houghton jumped out to an early 10-7 lead, but could not keep the Red Dragons at Bay.  Cortland scored 11 of the next 14 points in route to a 25-17 victory.
 
Game #2 Recap:
Houghton established momentum midway through the first set, when Kaylee Haller and Jenna Bittinger hit back-to-back kills to give the Highlanders a 16-14 lead.  They would then score three of the next four points, giving them enough of a cushion to trade points with the Wolves the remainder of the way and still come away with a 25-20 victory.
 
After capturing the second set, the two teams were knotted, 16-16, in the third, when Brooke Lewandowski reeled off seven straight service points to give the Highlanders a commanding lead.
 
With Houghton up 24-19, Amber Edwards put an exclamation point on the match, and her career, with an emphatic kill from the outside. 
 
Edwards, who led the Highlanders with 352 kills this season, would finish the match with 13 kills—the 21^st time she has surpassed double-digit kills this year—and only one attack error.
 
GAME VITALS
Game #1:
Score: Houghton – 1 | SUNY Cortland – 3
Records: Houghton: 11-18 | SUNY Cortland: 12-19
Scores: 12-25, 18-25, 25-19, 17-25
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 135

Game #2:
Score: Houghton – 3 | Keuka – 0
Records: Houghton: 12-18 | Keuka: 11-18
Scores: 25-20, 25-15, 25-19
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 135

NOTABLE STATS
>> Edwards finished the first match against Cortland with 13 kills and 11 assists, her 13^th double-double of the season. 
 
>> Kaylee Haller collected nine kills against Cortland, and Ally Bittinger finished with 10 kills and 10 digs against Keuka, her 12^th double-double this year.
 
>> Hayley Unverdorben posted 53 assists and 16 digs on the day.

COACH'S CORNER
"It was a good finish, especially without our libero (Morgan Potempa)--one of our key players on the floor.  Jenna [Bittinger] stepped in and did a nice job, and after a bit of adjusting, the girls got comfortable with the lineup change. 

"I'm glad we played so well against Keuka to finish our season.  It was a great final point with Amber's kill--a fitting end to her career." -Head Coach Nancy Cole