NEW YORK- The Hunter College women's volleyball team picked up its first win of the season Thursday evening, defeating St. Joseph's University Long Island in four sets at the Hunter College Sportsplex. The victory also marked the first career win for Sean Salomons as head coach of the women's program.
The Hawks (1-2) came out strong in the opening set, using an efficient offensive attack to take control early. Hunter recorded 13 kills while hitting .321 in the frame and held off the Golden Eagles (2-3) for a 25-17 victory.
Hunter carried the momentum into the second set. After the teams traded points early, the Hawks began to pull away behind a balanced attack. Hunter posted a match-best 15 kills and hit .344 en route to another 25-17 win and a 2-0 advantage in the match.
The Hawks looked to close things out in the third but struggled to find the same offensive rhythm. After trailing for much of the frame, Hunter battled down the stretch before narrowly dropping the set, 25-23.
Hunter responded in the fourth, overcoming a back-and-forth start to regain control. With the set featuring six ties and three lead changes, the Hawks pulled away late and secured a 25-19 victory to close out their first win of the season.
Kassidy Cruz Nuesi led the Hawks with a match-high 15 kills on just 24 attempts, hitting an impressive .458 while adding two service aces and two block assists. Michelle Liu and River Sutch each added nine kills, with Sutch recording a double-double behind a team-high three aces and 10 digs.
Sofia Marolla directed Hunter's offense with a match-high 40 assists while adding five kills and five digs. Arianna Calderon Jimenez and Marina Goryuk chipped in six kills apiece, while Maya Cosmo and Sutch led the defensive effort with 10 digs each.
Hunter finished the night with 54 kills, 51 assists, 55 digs and seven service aces while hitting .226 as a team. The Hawks held St. Joseph's to a .123 hitting percentage in the four-set victory.
Hunter returns to the court tomorrow for a 6 p.m. match at Manhattanville University.
