Union College Athletics

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team improved to 6-1 at home after a pair of sweeps over SUNY New Paltz and Plattsburg State on Saturday afternoon inside Viniar Athletic Center. 

Junior Kayla Martinez Cartagena led the way for Union (10-6) with 12 kills during a 25-18, 25-23, 29-27 victory over the Hawks (7-13) in the first match, then eight players recorded kills as the Garnet Chargers hit .370 as a unit in a 25-14, 25-15, 25-20 win over Plattsburg (9-9). 

Union 3, New Paltz 0 (25-18, 25-23, 29-27)
The Garnet Chargers coasted to an 11-1 lead to open the day against the Hawks. Union had three aces during two early rallies as it built the 10-point lead, and senior Erin Stevens and Martinez Cartagena both had a pair of kills. 

Union's headstart came in handy after the Hawks gave the home team a scare with a five-point rally late in the opener. Christine Balbona put her fifth serve of the rally into the net, giving Union its first look at set point, then junior Allie Kronenberg put down a winner to finally put the Hawks away in the first. 

After hitting .290 in the opener, the Garnet Chargers had much more trouble with New Paltz in the final two sets. Union made 11 attack errors after the first set due in part to four total blocks in the last two sets from the Hawks. 

Martinez Cartagena was able to persevere through the tough Hawks defense in the second and earned five winners as Union battled to a 25-23 win. 

Junior Georgia Pinciaro emerged as the hero in an extended third set, leading the way with four kills on 12 swings without an error. However, despite outscoring New Paltz 8-1 over a nine-point stretch early on to build a 16-9 lead, Union needed four looks at match point to eventually seal the deal. New Paltz battled back from down 24-21, 26-25, and 27-26 to extended the match. Overall, the contest featured 24 ties and nine lead changes before sophomore Melody Herrin and junior Adrienne Long rose up and denied a swing from Lola Konopa to seal the deal for good at 29-27. 

Union 3, Plattsburg 0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-20)
The Garnet Chargers had a much easier time with the Cardinals. Players in Garnet & White hit .370 overall, nearly tying the team's single-game season-high for hitting percentage (.371 vs SUNY Cobleskill, Sept. 11). Stevens hit .563 on her own without an error on 16 swings. It marked her fifth match with at least a .500 hitting percentage this season and she is hitting .289 so far in her senior campaign. 

Martinez Cartagena led the charge defensively this time with 10 digs, while Pinciaro and Stevens both registered a team-high nine kills. 

Sophomore Shea Ringel was targeted often on the serve receive, but converted 10 opportunities and also had two service aces of her own. 

The Garnet Chargers only made two attack errors in the third set, hitting .407 in the frame. Martinez Cartagena, first-year Johanna Melhorn, and Stevens all had three kills without an error in the clinching set as their squad earned its sixth win at home on the season. 

Next up, Union hosts SUNY Delhi at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7 in the midst of a six-match homestand.