By Jeffrey Werner – STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra Pride volleyball team held off a comeback attempt by the Elon University Phoenix to take the match three sets to two.
The dynamic duo of Nanishka Perez and Leticia Valente led the way in scoring with 16 kills by Perez and 15 by Valente. Corrina Delgadillo was the defensive anchor with a career-high 38 digs.
Prior to the match against Elon, Hofstra came off a three-set and series sweep versus the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens during their final home match of the season.
The Pride got off to a great start in the match. They took the first set 25-22 thanks to their best offensive production of the night with 17 kills, four errors and a .250 attack percentage.
Despite being down 4-0 to start the first set, Hofstra came back to finish it with a 3-1 point streak. Two kills from Valente plus an Elon attack error secured the Pride’s 1-0 start.
In the second set, the Phoenix held a 23-22 lead before the Pride went on a three-point streak to claim the second set. Hofstra lost some luster dropping to 14 kills, eight errors and a .120 attack percentage in the second set. But kills by Luisa Domingues and Perez plus a Phoenix attack error sealed the 25-23 set victory.
Elon, despite being in last place in the CAA, managed to take the third set 25-19 in large part to the five-point streak they went on early in the set and a couple three-point streaks towards the end of the set.
The fourth match opened with Hofstra going on a three-point streak, but Elon took control of the set with a six-point streak and never looked back on their to claim the fourth set 25-21
Feeling they may have underestimated Elon, Hofstra went into the fifth set determined not to lose to a team that was a conference-basement team.
Finding themselves down 8-5, the Pride score five-straight points to take the lead and momentum back in their favor to win the last set 15-11 and claim the 3-2 victory.
The win against Elon is Hofstra’s 20th of the season. This is the 25th time in program history that Hofstra was tallied 20-plus wins in a season, three out of the last four seasons they have reached 20 victories.
