SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team dropped a pair of matches on day two of the Union/Russell Sage Crosstown Crossover, falling to Hartwick by a 3-1 score and SUNY Cortland by a 3-0 score.
 
Senior Jessica Siragusa and sophomore Morgan Bohlke led Union with 14 kills apiece on the day, with Siragusa also adding 25 digs and coming one dig short of a pair of double-doubles. Sophomore Meredith Blinn led the defensive effort with 30 digs, while classmate Brooke Fleming assumed a majority of the playmaking duties and finished with 57 assists over seven sets.
 
Hartwick 3, Union 1 (25-22, 25-23, 27-29, 25-13)
 
The Hawks' offensive attack was too much for Union to begin the day, as the Hawks put down an incredible 64 kills in four sets to earn the win.
 
The trio of Myla Dobson, Toria Betelak and Staecia Silofau all recorded 17 kills apiece, with Silofau adding 11 digs for a double-double and both Dobson and Betelak hitting over .450. Union was led by Siragusa, who picked up a team-leading 10 kills and also added 16 digs for the team's only double-double.
 
The Dutchwomen held the advantage for much of the opening frame, opening up a lead of as many as five points at 15-10. The home team remained in front 19-15 before Hartwick stormed back, scoring six straight points to retake the lead and finishing with a 10-3 run overall.
 
It was Union's turn to mount a comeback in the second set, as the home team ran off a 12-4 stretch that turned an 18-10 deficit into a 22-all tie. The team could not complete the comeback, however, as Hartwick scored three of the final four points to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The third set was easily the closest of the match, featuring 14 ties and six lead changes. Facing two match points down 24-22, a kill by Bohlke and a Hartwick error gave Union a second life. The Dutchwomen staved off two more match points at 25-24 and 26-25, before closing on a 4-1 mini-run to claim the third set on a Siragusa ace.
 
However, the momentum did not last long into the fourth frame, as Hartwick used a 7-0 run to grab an early lead and kept Union at a distance for the rest of the set.
 
SUNY Cortland 3, Union 0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-15)
 
Union ran into another hot-hitting team in its second match, as SUNY Cortland hit .311 with 46 kills in a straight-set win.
 
Nicole Van Pelt led the Red Dragons with a match-high 14 kills, while Bohlke was Union's top attacker with seven kills.
 
Union hung with Cortland to begin the opening set, but an extended 14-4 run ballooned a 9-7 lead into a commanding 23-11 advantage. The second set followed a similar script, as the home team could not string together a rally and allowed the Red Dragons to put together several mini-runs that extended the lead. Cortland then came out strong with an 11-3 start to the third set on the way to the sweep.
 
Union will complete its long homestand on Friday, when the team begins Liberty League play against Bard College beginning at 4 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.