The William Smith College volleyball team defeated Hartwick College 3-0 this evening in Bristol Gymnasium to open up the 2023 William Smith Tournament. The Herons move to 3-1 on the season, while the Hawks fall to 1-3.
Leading the way for the Herons was sophomore Malya Sayre with 23 kills on 40 swings, hitting an impressive .450 on the night. The six-rotation outside hitter added seven digs, three service aces, one block, and one assist.
William Smith dominated in the home opener, hitting a combined .340 to Hartwick’s .018. The Herons recorded 49 kills as a team compared to the Hawk’s 10. William Smith allowing Hartwick to only 10 kills is the best defensive performance in program history, besting its previous record of allowing only 15 kills against SUNY Canton on Sept. 3, 2022.
MATCH MOMENTS:
- The Herons came out hot in set one, hitting .371 as a team, compared to the Hawks -.133. William Smith posted 15 kills, while only allowing two to Hartwick. Sayre led the way with six kills in the set as the Herons took set one 25-13.
- William Smith kept the momentum going in set two, keeping Hartwick to a negative hitting percentage (-.059) and two kills for the second straight set. Sayre along with sophomore’s Marin Montagne and Jaylynn McCarthy each chipped in four kills in set two. McCarthy also went on a strong service run, adding three service aces to give the Herons a 25-13 win in set two.
- Hartwick responded in the third, opening the set on a 7-2 run to grab the early lead. William Smith would chip away at the Hawks’ lead throughout the set thanks to a 13-kill performance by Sayre in the third set. The Herons took over the momentum when the match was tied at 17-17. Junior Ariana Angus showed strong for the service line, posting one ace, sparking the William Smith offense. The Herons would close out set three on an 8-1 run to complete the sweep.
MATCH STATS:
- Sayre led the Herons with 23 kills (.450), followed by McCarthy with nine (.316) and Montagne with seven (.158).
- Junior setter Elaina Wamhoff recorded 38 assists, six kills (.364) and four digs in the win.
- McCarthy led William Smith with eight digs, while Montagne, Sayre and first-year Maysie Malinaric each chipped in seven.
- First-year Maren Hunt recorded a team-leading three blocks, while McCarthy and Sayre added one each.
COACHES CORNER:
“Tonight is a sign of great things to come!” said Head Coach Derryk Williams. “We played with identity and purpose and are just scratching the surface. We’re back at it for two important matches tomorrow!”
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action tomorrow when it hosts day two of the William Smith Tournament. The Herons will take on the Tomcats of Thiel College at 1 p.m., followed by a matchup with the Golden Eagles of Brockport at 6 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].