The Keuka College Women’s Volleyball team claimed a hard-fought victory over Russell Sage in four sets in Empire 8 Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
Dayna Edholm (Buffalo, N.Y. / Sweet Home) led the Wolves with a stellar 23 kills, supported by libero Gabby Rodriguez (Floresville, Texas / Floresville) holding down the defensive side with 18 digs. Casey Hunziker (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy) ran the offense with 41 assists, setting a strong rhythm for Keuka throughout the match.
Keuka quickly fell to a 6-1 deficit but responded with a four-point run. A kill from Bryn Straub tied the game at eight and the teams exchanged points from there. A final kill from Edholm and a bad set by the Gators sealed the deal to give the Wolves a 25-19 set win, giving Keuka a confident start and 1-0 match lead.
Russell Sage regrouped and gained control early on in set two. The Gators got out to a 14-4 lead and never looked back. Despite efforts by Edholm and Hunziker on the offensive side, the Wolves could not regain momentum. Russell Sage pulled away with a 25-14 win, evening the match at one set apiece.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading leads. Down 6-3, the Green and Gold went on a five-point run consisting of a pair of kills from both Bryn Straub (Irondequoit, N.Y. / Irondequoit) and Nina Scott (Honeoye Falls, N.Y. / Honeoye Falls-Lima). Down the stretch, Keuka found themselves down 22-18, however, the Wolves went on a 7-1 run to edge out Russell Sage 25-23. Outside hitter Nina Scott has the final two kills to end the set. Keuka reclaimed the match lead with a 2-1 score going into the fourth.
Building on the momentum from their close win in the third set, Keuka came out on fire in the fourth beginning with a 9-5 lead. Straub and Scott delivered well-timed kills, while Rodriguez anchored the defense with digs that kept the rallies alive. Keuka dominated from the start and closed the set with a kill from Scott to take the set 25-13, clinching the 3-1 victory.
KC Notes:
- Keuka College is now 10-1 in the all-time series with the Gators
- The Wolves have won the last five meetings
- With her 12 kills on the day, Nina Scott scored 300 points for the Wolves in her career
Up Next for Keuka College: The Green and Gold will return to their home court with another Empire 8 matchup against Utica University on Friday, November 1. The first serve is set for 7 p.m.
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