BOX SCORE New York, N.Y.- The Hunter College women's basketball team put on a thrilling performance at home but came up just short in a five-set showdown against Farmingdale State College, losing 3-2. Despite the loss, several standout performances from the Hawks left fans optimistic for the season ahead.
Hunter was led by Izabella Williams, who delivered a commanding 20-kill performance. Williams was relentless at the net, recording a .167 hitting percentage and contributing a crucial service ace and 17 digs. Her all-around performance was a bright spot for the Hawks as they fought through each set.
Another key player for Hunter was Lily Mattison, who had a near-flawless offensive showing with 18 kills on 33 attempts, hitting at an impressive .515. Mattison's strong presence at the net was complemented by her work on defense, as she also added 4 digs and 3 block assists, making her one of the most impactful players of the match.
Simone McIntyre contributed 13 kills, showing great efficiency with a .308 hitting percentage. McIntyre's ability to find open spaces and her sharp attacking helped Hunter keep pace throughout the five sets. Vera Montalbano was also a key figure, chipping in with 6 kills on 14 attempts and providing steady defensive support with 6 digs and 3 block assists.
Setter Bethany Tomaneng orchestrated the Hawks' offense with a match-high 55 assists. Her ability to spread the ball across the court helped maintain a balanced attack, especially in the third and fourth sets when Hunter stormed back with hitting percentages of .333 and .324, respectively.
Defensively, Hunter was anchored by libero Kayla Treadwell, who registered 16 digs and played a crucial role in keeping rallies alive. As a team, Hunter displayed resilience with 103 total digs, led by Tomaneng, Williams, and Treadwell. However, errors at key moments, particularly from the service line (10 service errors), hindered their momentum.
Hunter dropped the first two sets but displayed tremendous grit by winning the next two, forcing a decisive fifth set. Although the Hawks came close, they fell just short in a 15-13 final set loss.
