NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team finished off an undefeated weekend with a pair of wins at the New Paltz Invitational on Saturday. The Garnet Chargers swept Mount St. Mary College, 3-0, to start the day before holding off the host Hawks by a 3-1 margin in the late match.
 
First-year Shea Ringel put down a team-leading 36 kills on .469 hitting in the seven sets, averaging over five kills per set in an excellent effort. Senior Georgia Pool led the team with 37 digs (5.29/set) and 10 service aces on the day, while sophomore Allie Kronenberg dished out 50 assists to go with five kills and four blocks.
 
Union 3, Mount St. Mary 0 (25-9, 25-23, 25-6)
 
Ringel had a big match to lead Union to an opening win, putting down 18 kills on .484 hitting in the three-set win. Sophomore Melody Herrin also hit .571 with five kills on seven swings and junior Graciela Escobar chipped in seven kills on .316 hitting, while Pool led the team with a match-high five service aces and 17 digs.
 
Union started the day on a 7-2 run to take control early, and then used an 8-0 run and a 7-0 stretch later in the frame to put away the opening set. Ringel put down five balls and added a block in the first frame, while Herrin chipped in four kills.
 
The Garnet Chargers had to battle in the second stanza, as MSMC jumped out to an early lead and grew its advantage to as many as six at 14-8. Union still trailed by five at 21-16 before ending the frame on a 9-2 run, with three Ringel kills leading the comeback effort.
 
Union returned to form in the third set, hitting a blistering .452 with 15 kills and only one error to finish off the sweep. The team ran off 17 of the first 19 points to quash any idea of a Knight comeback attempt, led by three kills from Escobar and four Pool aces. Ringel then put an exclamation point on the best match of her young career with four straight kills to end the proceedings.
 
Union 3, New Paltz 1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-15, 25-15)
 
Ringel had another big match for Union against New Paltz, again putting down 18 kills on .455 hitting, and was joined by senior Shannon McGrath with 14 kills on .333 hitting and 10 digs in a 3-1 win. Junior Shelby McKim hit a team-best .462 with eight kills on 13 swings, while Kronenberg filled up the stat sheet with 36 assists, three kills, six digs and four blocks.
 
Down 6-2 early in the opening frame, Union responded with a 9-0 run to gain control up 11-6, helped by two kills each from Ringel and McKim, and never allowed the Hawks to score more than two straight points in maintaining their lead.
 
The Garnet Chargers were unable to hold off New Paltz in the second set, as six straight points turned a 16-13 Union lead into a 19-16 New Paltz advantage as part of a set-ending 12-4 run. But Union turned the tables in the third set, scoring eight straight points to take a 19-11 edge on the way to a 2-1 lead.
 
An early 8-2 run put the visitors in control of the fourth set, allowing Union to cruise to the win. The trio of McGrath, McKim and Ringel put down all nine of the team's kills in the final frame, with each player killing three balls apiece.

Union will return to action next weekend with the Union/Russell Sage Crosstown Challenge. Friday's first day sees the Garnet Chargers host Oswego State at 4 p.m. and Bethany College at 8 p.m.