HOUGHTON, NY – What looked to be a runaway win early on for the Hartwick Hawks, turned in a closely matched battle, as the Hawks defeated the Houghton Highlanders in straight sets, 3-0, on Friday night.
 
The Hawks came out swinging in the first set, posting 14 kills and a .357 attack percentage.  A five-point run in the middle of the first set, along with a four-point run to close it out, helped the Hawks pick up the first game, 25-14.
 
Houghton battled throughout the second set, but the Hawks eventually built a 17-12 lead and looked to run away with another victory.  The Highlanders slowly began to trim the lead, and with the Hawks leading, 21-18, a kill from Julie Immel, an ace from Haley Unverdorben, and a Hartwick attack error evened the score.
 
The teams traded points until, with the set locked, 23-23, Unverdorben made a tremendous save, popping the ball up for a back-row attack from Immel who placed a hit that appeared to land, to the Houghton faithful, just inside the back line.  The attack, however, was called out by the line judge, negating the Houghton set-point and serve, and, instead, giving the same advantage to Hartwick.  The Hawks quickly capitalized, as Staecia Siofau blocked the Houghton attack, putting Hartwick up, 2-0.
 
In the third set, the Hawks flashed out the gates, building a 15-6 lead, and Houghton looked as though their night would soon be over.  Again the Highlanders clawed their way back into contention. 
 
Finally, trailing 23-20, back-to-back kills by Ella Smith and a Hartwick attack error, knotted the score, 23-23.  But the Hawks front line once again came up big, blocking two consecutive Houghton attacks to finish the set and the match.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 0 | Hartwick – 3
Records: Houghton: 6-6 (2-2 Empire 8) | Hartwick: 12-2 (2-1 Empire 8)
Scores: (14-25, 23-25, 23-25)
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 162

NOTABLE STATS
>> Hartwick dominated the net, collecting 17 blocks, including two solo blocks and six block assists by Toria Betalak.
 
>> Unverdorben dished out a match-high 23 assists and picked up three kills and seven digs, while Rebekah Clark posted a match-high 14 digs.
 
>> Julie Immel drove home a team-high 10 kills.  She currently ranks second in the Empire 8 in kills per set (3.07), trailing only reigning three-time Empire 8 Player of the Year Alea Steigerwald (3.12) of St. John Fisher.
 
UP NEXT
Houghton returns to the Nielsen Center tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to take on the Russell Sage Colleges Gators.