The Hofstra University volleyball team’s 10 consecutive-match win streak was halted by a back-and-forth five-set loss to Towson University on Saturday, Nov. 8. Towson knocked Hofstra out of first-place in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) on the Pride’s Senior Day. Campbell University now owns sole possession of first place in the conference. The loss puts Hofstra at 19-3 on the year and 11-3 in CAA play.
After coming off a five-set defeat the day prior, Towson came out firing on all cylinders. The Tigers had 65 kills, with three different attackers reaching double-figure kills.
“Being up 19-12 in the first set and losing the first set, at some point that comes back to unfortunately bite you,” said Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur. “They played better than we did, they hustled better than we did and they unfortunately got a win today.”
Despite Hofstra dropping the match, Izadora Stedile had a career day in her last match at the David S. Mack Physical Education Building. Stedile notched a season-best 26-kill performance while adding 14 digs and contributing on three blocks.
Beatriz Braga continued to shine for the Pride, putting up 20 or more kills in four consecutive matches. Braga also saw a season-high in kills with 22 and helped defensively with eight digs.
Stedile and Braga carried Hofstra’s offense on their backs, combining for 113 total attacks. Both attackers posted a hitting percentage over .300.
Defensively, the Pride saw their fair share of struggles against a top-ranked offense in the CAA.
“We need to be better,” Mansur said. “If we want to win a championship, we need to be better defensively.”
Hofstra had a slow start in the first set, conceding the first two points to Towson, but found runs spearheaded by Towson errors. The Pride were able to gain a seven-point lead late in the set, but the Tigers chipped away at every opportunity. Hofstra let off the gas, and the Tigers rallied their way to a 17-4 run to cap off the victory.
Hofstra could not shut down a blazing-hot Towson offense that committed just three errors and hit at a .441 rate in the first set.
The Pride answered in the second set, limiting Towson’s opportunities offensively and holding them to a .146 hitting percentage. Early in the set, the two teams clashed, exchanging points, but the momentum swung in Hofstra’s way, as the Pride found a 5-0 run. The Pride were able to close out the second set comfortably with a 25-20 win.
The Tigers fought back in the third set, as Hofstra struggled to get their footing, recording eight attack errors. Erin Brothers led the Tigers to a 25-20 set victory with four kills.
The fourth set was the most lopsided of the day, as Hofstra came out on top 25-16. The Pride got up early and stayed in command due to an 11-2 start. Towson did their best to rally back, but Hofstra’s early lead, combined with Towson’s miscues, proved to be too much.
Heading into the fifth set, tensions rose as the CAA standings, a perfect home record and a 10-match win streak were on the line for the Pride. Hofstra got off to a hot start, earning three of their first six points on Towson errors. With a three-point advantage, Hofstra’s margin of error was slim, and Towson found a way to capitalize. Sarah Callender put up two kills during a 6-0 Towson run to give the Tigers a 13-9 lead. Hofstra answered with back-to-back points, but Towson slammed the door with back-to-back errors from the Pride to cap off the win and spoil the Pride’s streak.
Stedile, Clara Bal, Emilly Nunes and Mairi Hadjipetrou were honored following the matchup in a Senior Day ceremony. All four seniors have been reliable four-year members of the program.
“So grateful for all four of them,” Mansur said. “Honestly, four years in the world we live today, four great players, it’s unbelievable.”
Hofstra looks to bounce back in their last series of the regular season against Northeastern University on Friday, Nov. 14. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
