UTICA, N.Y. - In their first gameday in 512 days, the SUNY Poly Wildcats Women's Volleyball team claimed victory in two matches over North Atlantic Conference rival SUNY Canton. The Wildcats took the first match by a score of three sets to one (25-20, 25-21, 12-25, 25-17), and swept the second match (25-23, 25-16, 25-18).

MATCH #1:

SUNY Poly opened the first set with three consecutive points. From there on out, the set was a back and forth battle until the Wildcats took a commanding 18-12 lead. SUNY Canton would mount a comeback, cutting the lead to three points on a service ace by Bailey Nadeau. The Wildcats, however, would not look back. Makayla Hulett (Colonie, N.Y.) put the Kangaroos away with two of her match-high 15 kills to give SUNY Poly a one-set advantage.

The Wildcats struggled out of the gate in the second set, as they fell to a 9-3 deficit. A balanced attack from seniors Karlie King (Liverpool, N.Y.), Brittany Adams (Clifton Park, N.Y.), Kaley Pichura (Syracuse, N.Y.), and Hulett led a SUNY Poly comeback helping the Wildcats take a commanding two-set lead.

After dropping the third set, the Wildcats bounced back in the fourth. Led by a strong set opening 10 point service run by Pichura, SUNY Poly jumped out to a big lead and would not look back, as they won the set 25-17.

NOTABLES:

• Makayla Hullet tallied seven digs, two block assists, and a service ace to go along with her match-high 15 kills.
• Karlie King had a solid all-around performance, finishing with 14 kills, 15 digs, and three block assists.
• Kaley Pichura had a match-high 39 assists, as well as two service aces and eight digs.
• Brittany Adams tallied nine kills and three block assists for the Wildcats.
• Junior Brooke Taverne (Westmoreland, N.Y.) added seven kills and four block assists in the victory.
• Tatum Lafrance led SUNY Canton with 12 kills.

MATCH #2:

In the first set, the Wildcats again got out to an early lead. However, the Kangaroos chipped away at the Wildcats lead and a kill from Gabrielle Durant gave SUNY Canton an 18-15 advantage. Two service aces from King brought SUNY Poly back and tied the set at 19 apiece. From there, both teams exchanged points until the Wildcats took a 24-22 lead. Emma Draper (North Chili, N.Y.) sealed the set for SUNY Poly with a service ace.

With the momentum in their favor, the Wildcats gained advantages early in the second and third sets ultimately finishing the roos in straight sets. Led by strong performances from King, Hulett, Taverne, Pichura, and Draper, SUNY Poly completed the sweep and moved to 2-0 on the season.

NOTABLES:

• Karlie King totaled six kills, three service aces, and six digs.
• Makayla Hulett had another stellar performance, leading the Wildcats with ten kills.
• Kaley Pichura tallied match-highs of 29 assists and five service aces.
• Emma Draper added seven kills to her set-winning service ace.
• Freshman Ryan Fitzgerald had five assists, five digs, and a service ace in her Wildcat debut.

UP NEXT:

The Wildcats will look to continue their winning ways when they travel to take on NAC foe SUNY Delhi in a doubleheader on Friday, April 9th. The first match is set to begin at 5:00 PM at SUNY Delhi.

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world's most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and over 300 corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.