SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team split a pair of non-conference matches on day one of the 2018 Union Invitational at the Viniar Athletic Center, sweeping Buffalo State before suffering the same fate at the hands of Williams College.
 
Sophomore Gillian Gore was the team's top attacker on the day, registering a team-high 27 kills. Classmate Katie Moss was the most efficient member of the team, putting down 13 kills on just 18 attempts for an impressive .611 hitting percentage. On the day, Union hit .302 as a team with 86 kills in six sets.
 
Union 3, Buffalo State 0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-15)
 
The Dutchwomen hit a stellar .427 in the first match of the day, as the home team put down 54 kills with only 10 errors in a straight-set victory.
 
Gore had a big match for Union, putting down 17 kills with only one error for a career-best .533 hitting percentage in addition to 10 digs. The best hitting on the team went to classmate Steph Libonati, who put down 10 of her 14 attacks (.643 hitting), while fellow sophomore Lara Atalay had a double-double as well with 10 kills and a match-high 13 digs. 
 
Union was in nearly perfect form against the Bengals, as the home team did not fall behind again after losing the first point in all three frames. Gore (five) and sophomore Julia Louis (three) combined for the team's first eight kills of the opening frame, as Union jumped out to an early 11-4 lead and never looked back.
 
The Dutchwomen jumped out to another early edge in the second, scoring 10 of the first 13 points. Buffalo State got back in the set with a 7-0 run to get within two at 14-12, but a kill and two aces by Atalay quelled the threat.
 
The final stanza was the closest of the day, featuring four ties in the early going. Union held a slight 6-5 lead before a 5-2 mini-run gave the team some breathing room, and four straight points on Atalay's serve later in the frame helped to clinch the set and the match.
 
Williams 3, Union 0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-14)
 
In the second match of the day it was Williams who had the hot hand, as the Ephs hit .462 as a team with 50 kills and only seven errors in a 3-0 victory.
 
Gore reached double figures for the sixth straight match with 10, but had her streak of double-doubles ended with seven. Atalay dug out a team-leading 10 balls and chipped in six kills as well for the home team.
 
The opening set was the tensest of the evening, as the two teams were knotted up at 17 after an ace by junior Maegan Teets finished a string of 10 straight alternating points. However, the Ephs closed the frame on an 8-3 run to grab the early lead.
 
Williams jumped on Union early in the second set and never allowed their opponent back into the frame to take a 2-0 lead, then used a 13-2 run midway through the third stanza to clinch the sweep.
 
Union will be back on the court tomorrow, as day two of the Union Invitational begins with the Dutchwomen taking on St. Michael's College at 11 a.m.