ANNANDALE‑ON‑HUDSON, N.Y.- The Hunter College women's volleyball team picked up its first victories of the season on Saturday afternoon, sweeping a non‑conference tri‑match hosted by Bard College. The Hawks battled through back‑to‑back five‑set matches, defeating Utica in the opener before outlasting the host Raptors in the second match.
Match 1: Hunter 3, Utica 2
(26-24, 21-25, 26-24, 17-25, 15-12)
Hunter (2-3) earned its first win of the season with a hard-fought five-set victory over Utica to open the day. The Hawks were led offensively by Michelle Liu, who registered 12 kills on a .273 hitting percentage. Deanna Vinitski added 12 kills of her own and collected a team-high 21 digs, while Lily Mattison contributed 13 kills and a solo block in a strong all-around performance.
Amina Moummad anchored the back row with 19 digs and chipped in nine kills on the attack. Setter Madeline Snyder delivered a double-double with 42 assists and 16 digs, directing the offense while also providing key defensive support. Ana Duran and Theano Liodakis made contributions at the net, combining for three total blocks.
Hunter claimed the opening set in extra points and bounced back from a fourth-set loss to take the fifth frame, hitting .152 in the final stanza to seal the match.
Match 2: Hunter 3, Bard 2
(25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 23-25, 15-11)
In the second match of the day, the Hawks outlasted Bard in another five-set battle to complete the tri-match sweep and improve to 2-3 on the season. Mattison and Moummad once again led the offensive charge, recording 14 kills apiece. Vinitski joined them in double figures with 11 kills, continuing her consistent production throughout the day.
Snyder turned in another standout performance, dishing out 41 assists and adding seven kills on a .438 attack percentage. She also contributed two service aces and two block assists in the win. Defensively, Natalie Polanco posted a season-high 20 digs and served up two aces, while Liu and Duran combined for seven total blocks to help slow down the Bard offense.
Hunter pulled away in the fifth set thanks to a timely 10-3 run and limited Bard to just five kills in the deciding frame. The Hawks finished the match with 58 kills on a .163 team hitting percentage, while also recording 79 digs and 14 total blocks.
The pair of wins marks a turning point for the Purple and Gold, who return to action on Sept. 12 at the Buttermaker Tournament hosted by Mulenburg College.
