The Hofstra volleyball team returned to their winning ways on Thursday, Oct. 24, as they defeated Elon University in four sets, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23 and 25-19, at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center. It was the Pride’s fifth win in their last six matches to improve to 13-8 on the season, as well as 6-3 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. The Phoenix dropped to 11-12 overall and 5-4 in conference play.
Despite the hot start by the Phoenix, the Pride fought back and took set one 25-19. Elon jumped straight out of the gate and took a quick 4-0 lead, fueled by Jordan Gower’s two service aces. Later in the set, with Hofstra down 8-4, three attack errors in a row by Elon allowed the Pride to go on a 5-0 scoring run and take the lead in the match. Elon and Hofstra traded the next 10 points, but the Pride broke away when Juliana Vaz put them in front for good at 15-14, starting a 9-2 run that put the Pride ahead 22-16. Elon could not recover, as Ana Martinovic finished them off with her set-high fourth kill.
Elon responded in the second set, however, taking it 25-20 to even the match at one set a piece. The Phoenix got off to a hot start in that set as well, taking an early 4-1 lead. Hofstra fought back to jump in front briefly at 11-10 but failed to hold on. Elon used a 7-0 run to take their largest lead of the night at 17-11. Madeline Matheny brought the Pride back within three points but could not get any closer.
Hofstra took back the lead in the match with a tight 25-23 victory in set three. Once again, it was all Elon early on in the set. With the score knotted at three, Kellyn Trowse took over for the Phoenix, registering four kills to help them jump to an 11-5 lead. Down by seven later in the set, Hofstra went on a 10-2 tear to take the lead. The Pride stayed hot and used another 5-1 run to go up 22-17. Elon, however, did not give up and brought themselves back within one point. Hofstra prevailed in the end as Martinovic recorded her second set-winning kill of the match. Matheny led the way for the Pride, registering six total kills, with four of them coming during their huge run.
The Pride came out roaring in the final set and closed out the match with a 25-19 win. Laura Masciullo came alive and recorded nine of her 16 total kills during the set. Hofstra dominated throughout and never trailed or tied in the final set. They took their largest lead at 19-12 after Masciullo tallied her fourth-straight kill. Elon put up a fight at the end and would not let the Pride finish them off, winning three consecutive rallies that forced Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur to call a timeout.
“We need to finish,” Mansur said during the timeout. “Elon is a good team. They beat us once so there is no room to let them grow.”
Martinovic finished them off yet again after the timeout with her third set-clinching kill to give the Pride the victory.
“I think a lot of people stepped up when some of our leaders had a tough match and it was a good team effort to be able to achieve this win,” Mansur said.
Masciullo (16 kills), Martinovic (15 kills), Matheny (10 kills) and Luisa Sydlik (43 assists) led the Pride to their sixth CAA victory. The ten kills by the freshman Matheny were a career high as she continues to step up big for the Pride.
“It was really interesting to see because [Matheny] had a tough match last time and got very strong and she came back well,” Mansur said. “She is the sunshine in our gym, and we need her.”
The Pride got revenge on Elon after falling to them in four sets down in North Carolina earlier in the season.
“Every match right now is huge because everybody is trying to clinch that spot in the CAA tournament,” Masur said. “We know that every match is going to be a battle.”
Hofstra continues CAA play on Saturday, Oct. 26, when they host the College of William & Mary at 3 p.m.
Image Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
