Graduate student
Emily Wunder and junior
Hailey Hinkel each contributed 17 kills as the Siena Volleyball team won their fourth match in a row with a 3-1 (25-22, 24-26, 26-24, 25-22) victory over the Quinnipiac Bobcats. The victory for Siena gives them their longest winning streak in six years. All four of their wins during the streak have come away from Loudonville.
The combo of Wunder and Hinkel were challenged by a 15-kill effort from
Sara Wagner. Wunder hit 40 percent on the match to lead the team in that category on 35 total attempts.
Gracie Halley added 14 digs, and
Claire Isaksen tossed out 46 assists – a new career-high. Quinnipiac's Aryanah Diaz led all offensive performers with 20 kills.
Siena controlled the match throughout the first two sets despite falling in the second. In the first set with the score tied 22-all, Siena then ran off the final three points to take the 25-22 win to go up 1-0 in the match. Wunder provided kills in two of those final three points.
The Green and Gold had set point in the second set with a 24-23 lead, and saw the Bobcats then score three points in a row to take the set. As things hit the intermission, the Bobcats then turned up their game for the final two sets of the match.
Quinnipiac held a 20-13 lead in the third as it looked like they might go up 2-1. Siena then proceeded to go on a 5-0 run as
Ece Emrullah and Hinkel each recorded kills at the end of the run to bring the score to 20-18. However, the Bobcats still held a lead with the score 23-20 in favor of Quinnipiac. Siena then scored six of the last seven points to take the lead – with Wunder once again getting the set-clinching kill.
Despite another strong effort from the Bobcats in the fourth as they tried to force a fifth – the Saints once again broke a late 22-all score with a 3-0 run to shut the door on the home squad and clinch their fourth win. Hinkel sandwiched a Quinnipiac attack error with a pair of kills to finish things off.
As a team on the match, Siena hit .309 and recorded four service aces.
The Saints return to action this Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. in the UHY Center when they play host to Canisius. The Saints have not yet faced the Golden Griffins this season.
