By Joe Barone – STAFF WRITER
Over the weekend, the Hofstra volleyball team visited North Carolina with their eyes set on remaining perfect in CAA play. The Pride took this one in a thrilling five-set win over a surging Seahawks team that had just won five consecutive matches.
In a battle of two of the top teams in the conference, it was Hofstra with the advantage in kills, hitting percentage, points, and assists. The blue and gold was led by their trio of stars – outside hitters Veronika Kostova and Nanishka Perez and middle blocker Leticia Valente. All three captured double digits in kills, ultimately proving to be the difference makers in three out of five sets.
Kostova continued her remarkable campaign, notching kill number 310. She had 318 combined in 2013 and 2014.
Flying under the radar was freshman libero Luisa Domingues. She earned 21 big digs in the contest while Corrina Delgadillo and Hannah Klemm each posted 12. The digs proved to be vital for the Pride, as they were able to keep the volley brewing long enough to drain a UNCW team who had played the night prior.
During the match, it was Klemm who moved closer to history. Klemm now has 2,925 in her career to move into fourth place on the all-time program assists list. The Berlin native is averaging at least 11 assists per set. Klemm has grown into a major playmaker on the court for the Hofstra Pride.
The two teams would exchange leads in the opening set, prior to Hofstra taking over with an 8 to 3 point finish. Every member of the Pride contributed on the score sheet, which carried extreme momentum into the second. Final score of the first set: 25-22.
Hofstra began the second set in dominating fashion. They scored the first five points before UNCW could even react. The Seahawks made things interesting towards the end, thanks to the fantastic performances of Nicole Lott and Kristen Powell. However, Hofstra would hold on for the 25-23 advantage.
After dropping the next two sets in heartbreaking style, 14-25 and 24-26 respectively, the Pride sought to finish off UNCW with a resounding 15-11 victory.
The win extended Hofstra’s streak to five games. This most recent power surge from the Pride has seen the team leapfrog their next two opponents in the standings – Towson and James Madison – for first place in the CAA with 14-6 overall record and a big 5-0 in conference play.
