The Hofstra University volleyball team returned to their winning ways, sweeping the College of William & Mary on the road on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Pride took William & Mary in just three sets, displaying their offensive prowess throughout the entire series. The two wins against the Tribe advanced Hofstra to 11-3 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matches. The Pride now sit in first place in the CAA.
Hofstra looked strong on both sides of the ball, earning 48 kills, nine service aces and 41 digs through just three sets. Continuing her dominant season, Izadora Stedile led the Pride with 10 kills and nine digs. Beatriz Braga and Constanza Perez Sain helped advance the Pride’s offense with nine kills each. Chiara Cucco held down Hofstra’s defense with 14 digs.
The first set was a close match as the Tribe challenged the Pride every time they fell behind. In a 10-10 match, the Tribe took their first lead of the day. Even after falling behind by five points, the Pride did not back down. The Pride took the lead on a seven-point run started by Perez Sain. William & Mary did not go down without a fight, as they attempted to come from behind and take down the Pride. Hofstra finished the set with two back-to-back kills from Stedile and a service ace from Perez Sain, winning the set 25-21.
William & Mary started the second match hot, attacking early on a four-point run. Hofstra slowly bounced back, earning them a two-point lead. William & Mary fought back, tying the set at 12 apiece. Hofstra then gained momentum on a kill from Stedile, going on a six-point run. The Tribe tried to bounce back but fell short when the Pride capitalized on errors from William & Mary. The Pride finished up the set on a seven-point run and finished off the Tribe 25-10.
Hofstra struck early in the final set, opening the set with a kill from Emily Nunes. The Pride refused to back down, as they led the entire set. The first 10 plays of the set were kills, leading to an exciting opening. The Tribe tried to take the lead in the middle of the set but fell short due to the strength of the Hofstra offense. Three kills in a row from Hofstra started a six-point run, giving them a seven-point lead. The Pride kept strong, not allowing William & Mary any room to make mistakes. Hofstra capitalized on the errors made by the Tribe and finished up the match in a 25-18 set.
With the clean sweep of the series against William & Mary, the Pride took two in a row and returned to their winning ways. Hofstra returns home to face North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on Saturday, Nov. 9. The series begins at 3 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin
