Bangor, ME – The SUNY Cobleskill women's volleyball team went the distance on Saturday afternoon, battling through five tightly contested sets before falling to Husson University 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 26-24, 20-25, 12-15) in North Atlantic Conference play.

The Fighting Tigers showed grit throughout the match, responding to every Husson run with strong serving and balanced offense. Junior outside hitter Emma Hinze (Altenburg, Mo.) led the attack with a team-high 14 kills on .167 hitting while also anchoring the defense with a game-high 19 digs. She added three service aces and a block in another all-around effort.

Junior setter Baylee Kirschberg (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) contributed across the board with 11 assists, six kills, and nine digs, while Jojo Haycock (Bowie, Md.) led the back row with 10 digs and three assists. Hallie Gasner (Middleburgh, N.Y.) made a major impact at the service line and at the net, posting 11 kills, five aces, and a block. Senior setter Jade Ward (Miami, Fla.) directed the offense with a team-high 16 assists to go with 14 digs.

Statistically, Husson held the upper hand in several categories, including kills (52-38), assists (46-34), and service aces (21-11). Both teams were strong defensively, recording 66 digs each, while the Eagles edged Cobleskill in blocks, 8.0 to 2.0.

In the opening set, Husson jumped out to an early 9-2 lead before Cobleskill's offense found its rhythm behind kills from Hinze and Kirschberg. The Tigers trimmed the deficit to 11-10, but the Eagles closed strong to take the set 25-18.

The Tigers regrouped in the second, responding with a dominant stretch that showcased their serving and attacking balance. After back-to-back kills from Gasner tied the score at 12-12, Cobleskill went on an 8-0 run behind three aces from Gasner to pull ahead 21-17. Hinze's kill capped the set, 25-20, to even the match at one apiece.

Carrying their momentum into the third, Cobleskill opened with a 10-5 advantage before Husson surged back with a 9-0 run. The Tigers rallied once again, this time with a 10-1 run fueled by kills from Ward and Hinze. With the score tied 24-24, Gasner sealed the comeback with back-to-back kills to secure a 26-24 win and a 2-1 match lead.

In the fourth set, the Tigers came out strong with a 10-2 start, but Husson battled back to tie the score at 20-20 before taking the final five points to force a decisive fifth set.

The fifth set featured more back-and-forth action, with Hinze powering two key kills to help Cobleskill take a 10-7 lead. The teams traded points down the stretch, but Husson capitalized late with three straight points to edge the Tigers 15-12 and claim the match.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers return to action tomorrow, October 12, when they travel to Maine Maritime Academy for a tri-match. Cobleskill opens with a conference matchup against Maine Maritime at 11:00 a.m. before facing St. Norbert College in non-conference play at 1:00 p.m.