Women's Volleyball Team Survives New Paltz to Remain Undefeated

Violets Edge Out Hawks to Move to 2-0 at the Nazareth Tournament

Sophomore Kolby Warren recorded 21 kills in two matches on Friday.

Down one set to none and two sets to one, the New York University women's volleyball team rallied to defeat SUNY New Paltz in five sets to remain undefeated in 2009, Friday, September 11, at the Nazareth College Golden Flyer Invitational in Rochester, NY.

Forced to overcome a slow start on offense, the Violets (7-0) edged out the Hawks (2-4) 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 16-14) to remain atop the Pool B standings of the Golden Flyer Invitational.

Leading an offense that out-killed New Paltz 67 – 54 was sophomore captain Elizabeth Dick who put down a match-high 17 while also adding 12 digs for her first double-double of the season.

Also recording a double-double was sophomore setter Mina Baban who put up a season-high 56 assists while putting up 13 digs along with a team-high two service aces.

Sophomore middle Kolby Warren and freshman middle Kendyl Dunn also both tallied double-digit kills with Warren putting down 13 along with two blocks while Dunn added a career-best 16 while also putting up eight digs.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior Rachel Sawyer recorded 30 digs to become only the second Violet to record 30 or more digs two times in a career. The other was Martha Gardikas who recorded 30-plus digs twice during the 2003 season.

For the Hawks, senior Melinda DiGiovanna tallied a double-double with 16 kills and 20 digs while fellow senior Loren Crabbe tallied a team-high 22 digs.

In the Violets first match of the day, the team extended its undefeated streak to six, defeating Fredonia State University in straights sets.

The Violets cruised along for the first two sets before being forced to recover from a 12-6 deficit in the third, on their way to a 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-23) victory over the Blue Devils (3-4).

Leading the way for NYU was Baban who recorded 23 assists and put down seven kills with a .600 hitting percentage while also adding a team-high four service aces.

Also strong at the net was Warren who tallied and error-free eight kills for a .667 hitting percentage.

On the defensive line, Sawyer notched a match-high 17 digs along with one service ace.

For Fredonia, sophomore Audrey Zimmerman tallied a team-high seven kills while fellow sophomore Sarah Zureck notched 13 digs.

The Violets return to action tomorrow moring when they take on Heidelberg College at 10:00 am in a match-up of the two undefeated teams in Pool B with the winner taking on the Pool A team in the championship match.

Live stats will be available for the match.