The Hofstra University volleyball team suffered a season-ending loss, 3-1, against the College of Charleston in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship semifinals on Friday, Nov. 22.
After a gritty 3-0 sweep over North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University the night before in the quarterfinals, the Pride could not sustain that same success against a deeper Cougars team.
Despite their loss, Izadora Stedile left it all on the court with a phenomenal series leading the team with 19 kills and two blocks. Iyanna Garvin and Clara Bal supported with 10 and nine kills, respectively. Beatriz Alves and Ellie Pamatat padded the kills with 34 and 21 assists of their own.
On the other side of the court, Charleston’s Emily Banitt led the team with 15 kills, while Hannah Scott aided with 37 assists and 14 digs to move them on to the championship round.
The matchup was the first for both teams in 2024, as they did not play each other in the regular season. With a similar season record, the two touted groups gave it their all, starting from the first set.
The Cougars came out aggressive from the very beginning, scoring six straight points and commanding a 6-1 lead. They continued to pound their way over the net, with Allie Holland cementing a kill and a 10-point lead, making the score 16-10. Charleston scored three times in a row after an attack error by Yagmur Cinel to take the first set 25-14.
Hofstra stormed back in the second set, establishing a long and competitive three sets for both teams. A back-and-forth affair knotted the squads with an attack error by Banitt 13-13. Kills by Garvin and Alves put the team up by three, 16-13. Hofstra used that extension to their advantage, propelling themselves to a set win and tie in the series with two Stedile kills in a 25-23 finish.
In these next two sets, both teams gave it their all. It all came down late in both sets as the Cougars etched their way through tough protection by the Pride, who watched their season come to an end.
Hofstra cemented another successful season in the books under the coaching regime of Emily Mansur; however, for the past couple of seasons, they have struggled in post-season play. With a bright future ahead for some of their freshman players, Hofstra will go back to the drawing board for their long offseason ahead.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin
