The Hofstra Pride volleyball team loses a heartbreaker against the Chicago State University Cougars 3-1 on Sunday, Oct. 30. The loss in this non-conference matchup ended Hofstra’s 12-game win streak.
The Cougars came into the game locked and loaded with a game plan and executed it flawlessly. Hofstra could not match that game plan and ultimately lost in stunning fashion.
“Chicago State came here ready to play and was just a better overall team than we were today,” said head coach Emily Mansur.
At the start of the first set, Hofstra came out striking hard and fast over the Cougars with a 6-0 lead, with kills from Sarah Pierre, Zyare Abdul-Rahim and Izadora Stedile. The Pride continued their reign in the first set, extending their lead to 12-7 by a kill courtesy of Stedile. After that point, the Pride stumbled during the rest of the match and surrendered the lead from a blocking error by Hofstra’s Emily Nunes to make the score 16-15. Miscommunication played a big part in the rest of the game.
A back-and-forth matchup would ensue on both sides of the net, with four lead changes late in the set. With Chicago leading 19-18, the Pride pulled through and scored five unanswered points to take a 23-19 lead, three of the points coming from Stedile. Hofstra, however, had trouble closing out the set, allowing Chicago to come within two from a service ace and a block error by Abdul-Rahim. Hofstra held their stance with an attack error from Chicago State’s Yanlis Feliz as the Pride won the first set 25-22.
Hofstra began the second set on a bad note with some miscues on their side of the net, including two attack errors from Abdul-Rahim. To begin the set, Chicago led 5-3. The Pride eventually held their own and put up three unanswered points, putting Hofstra in front, 6-5. Two kills came from Yagmur Cinel. However, Hofstra could not hold on too long as they let up four unanswered points to Chicago, with kills from Whitney Barnes and Maria Lopez Torres Tapia bringing the score to 9-7.
Hofstra continuously fell back, with Chicago State maintaining their lead 17-13 from a block error by Pierre. The Pride came back a little, coming within one point late in the matchup, but the Cougars maintained their power and won the set on a service ace from Chicago’s Feliz 25-22.
At the beginning of the third set, the Cougars remained relentless against the Pride, resuming their dominance of the second set. Chicago State took an early 7-1 lead as three attack errors from Abdul-Rahim and three kills from Jaclyn Inclan, Mesalina Severino and Feliz extended Hofstra’s deficit further.
The Pride clawed their way back on two kills from Stedile and Nunes, followed by two attack errors which brought the Pride close enough to knock at the Cougar’s door, 11-10. Hofstra eventually took the come-from-behind lead on a kill by Nunes 20-17. However, the Pride quickly lost the lead late in the set off a kill by Severino, leaving the score 24-23. The game ended off with a service ace as Chicago State took the set 25-23 in a nail-biting finish.
Hofstra struggled yet again at the start of the fourth set. The Pride had to overcome another 7-2 deficit early in the match, with five kills on the Cougar’s side of the net. Hofstra could not catch a break as Chicago was one step ahead throughout the entire match. An eventual 17-13 lead for Chicago loomed large over the Pride. However, Hofstra roared back to within two points from tying the game. But Chicago was determined to put away the set and game. Four unanswered points on three kills for the Cougars extended a once 17-15 lead to 21-15. The Pride did not surrender without a fight, coming within three off a kill from Clara Bal. A kill by Chicago State’s Feliz sealed the set and game over Hofstra, 25-21.
This non-conference loss clipped Hofstra’s 12-game winning streak heading down to the final four games of the season.
“The win streak we really don’t talk about, so I’m not sure what’s on their mind,” Mansur said. “But being a non-conference matchup, we felt throughout the week that we were not mentally engaged; and it’s unfortunate because Chicago is a great team, and it was an opportunity to get better.”
Despite the loss, Stedile had another remarkable game, leading the team in kills with 15. Beatriz Alves led the team in assists with 45 and Chiara Cucco had 15 digs in this game.
“I saw a lot of really nice stuff from [Stedile] today. From the front row, she was very good,” Mansur said. “We have so many high expectations for her and, on the back, she could have done a little bit better, but now we got a chance to get to practice and make sure everyone does a little bit better for next week.”
As the season ends with four games remaining, Hofstra looks to continue its dominance in the Colonial Athletic Association with its next match-up against the Northeastern University Huskies on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
