ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team did not drop a set during its tri-match sweep over Rochester Institute of Technology and Widener University on Saturday afternoon at Clark Gymnasium, and junior
Georgia Pinciaro posted Union's best match by hitting percentage since 2023 with a .667 performance against the Pride.
Pinciaro put down 14 kills on 18 swings with just two errors. The New Castle, N.H. native tied for the third-best qualified match in the Liberty League by hitting percentage this season, and the last Garnet Charger with an attack percentage that high was senior Maddie McCarron during her first season in 2023. McCarron hit .765 against VTSU Castleton with 13 kills on 17 attempts without an error on Sept. 6, 2023. Senior Erin Stevens and first-year Johanna Melhorn have also had matches with .667 hitting percentages this season. Stevens had 11 kills against SUNY Cobleskill on Sept. 11 and Melhorn had six kills in the same match.
Union has also won 21 of its last 22 sets during its current seven-match winning streak. The Garnet Chargers also had a seven-match winning streak to start the season as well.
Union 3, RIT 0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-17)
The Garnet Chargers (15-6, 3-2 Liberty League) faced an early deficit after a four-point rally from the Tigers (7-14, 1-4 Liberty League), but once Pinciaro subbed in, Union was able to turn the tide. She recorded a kill and a block assist in two of her first three points, helping Union tie things up 4-4.
The first set remained close until a five-point run for the road team gave Union a 22-16 lead. Two more kills from Pinciaro and one from first-year Johanna Melhorn wrapped up a 25-19 first-set victory.
RIT kept things close in the second but never led again after giving up its 1-0 lead to start. Six Garnet Chargers recorded at least two kills in the middle set, led by senior Erin Stevens with four. While Union only hit .159 in the second, RIT did not fare any better with a .093 mark as a unit. McCarron also was in on all three of Union's blocks in the 25-21 win, contributing to RIT's nine attack errors.
Melhorn stepped up at the net in the third set, registering four block assists as Union finished off the Tigers in three. With the set tied 17-17, She had three of her blocks during an impressive eight-point rally for Union at the end of the match.
First-year Charlotte Pernisie led her squad with nine digs and junior Allie Kronenberg accounted for 28 of 32 assists, while also hitting .600 with three kills on five attempts.
Union 3, Widener 0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-19)
Pinciaro had four kills in the first set against Widener (6-16), three in the second, and seven in the third. She was joined in double-figures by junior Kayla Martinez Cartagena, who put up 13 kills. McCarron also had a solid match, hitting .417 on 12 attempts.
The Garnet Chargers were efficient in the first set, outhitting the Pride .375 to .170 while the rest of the statistical categories were close. Union had 13 kills to Widener's 10, both teams only had one block, and both sides had three service aces.
Union's play at the net improved in the second with five blocks. McCarron was in on four of them, and she also had a pair of kills.
The Garnet Chargers hit .400 in the third set, fueled by Pinciaro's seven kills. She had three of her winners during a 6-3, match-ending run for Union on her way to her most kills in a match since her rookie season.
Union visits Bard for its next match on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.
