TROY, NY – After winning the first two sets and dropping the third, the Nazareth College Women's Volleyball team held off a late rally to post a 3-1 victory Friday night over Russell Sage College in the first Empire 8 match of the season.
Nazareth (5-5 overall, 1-0 E8) won the first two sets 25-20 and 25-12 before Sage (4-10, 0-1 E8) battled back for a 25-22 win in the third set.
In the fourth set, the Gators scored the first point but Nazareth answered with seven of the next eight points and a 7-2 lead. Sage chipped away at the lead and trailed 12-9 before the Golden Flyers regained control and rallied to take a 16-9 edge. Nazareth opened up an eight point lead at 18-10 but Sage rallied again and eventually narrowed the lead to two points at 23-21.
After a Nazareth timeout, junior Kaylee Kelly recorded a kill and a Sage attack error ended the match with a 25-21 Nazareth victory.
Kelly finished with 18 kills, four aces and nine digs to lead Nazareth. Freshman Tessa Grover had 14 kills, 23 assists, five aces and three blocks. Fellow freshman Ella Kules had 21 assists, senior McKenzie Hart added 22 digs, senior Olivia Quick added nine kills and freshman Zoe Tylipakis had seven kills and four digs.
Nazareth continues Empire 8 play Saturday with a 12 p.m. match at Hartwick.