By Tyler McCord, Staff Writer
The Hofstra volleyball team lost 0-3 to William & Mary on Friday in the Physical Fitness Center with twenty-three errors and a combined .129 hitting percentage through three sets.
"I wasn't really happy with what we were doing tonight," said Hofstra head coach Kristina Hernandez.
William & Mary used fourteen kills and just two errors to its advantage in beating Hofstra in the first set, 25-18. Redshirt freshman outside hitter Nikki Kinnier had four kills in the loss for the Pride.
Ten kills from William & Mary helped vault it over the Pride 25-16 in the second set. Through the first two sets Hofstra could not capture a lead at any point, only bringing the match even six times in the first set and failing to do so in the second.
Although Hofstra committed ten serving errors throughout three sets, the Pride led William & Mary by as many as three points in the third and final set before dropping, 26-24.
"Things that we have been doing well, we didn't do them tonight" said Hernandez.
Hofstra committed a season-high fifteen service errors its next conference opponent, Virginia Commonwealth University, currently ranked second in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Hofstra hosted VCU for its last home match of the year on a day set to honor the team's seniors, Rachel August, Jenna Connell and Marina Markovic.
In the first set, Hofstra hit just .111, but held VCU to a negative .148 hitting percentage which would be enough to give Hofstra a 1-0 lead after one set. Three kills from sophomore middle blocker Carolyn Jenkins and eleven errors committed by VCU would aid the Pride's cause.
VCU did not trail at any point in the second set andlead by as many as eight points, 18-10. Nine Hofstra errors helped VCU to a 25-17 second set victory.
The third set featured three tie scores and three lead changes. Hofstra trailed VCU 3-11, but would rally back to bring the match to 10-13 with help from multiple kills by Kinnier.
The Pride kept battling and took the lead from VCU at 21-20 on a kill delivered by freshman outside hitter Shelby Young.
An attack error committed by VCU would put Hofstra up 23-22 and from there the Pride scored on a kill by Young and a service ace from Kinnier.
VCU only committed two errors in the fourth set. Hofstra would rack up seventeen kills, but ultimately they were not enough as VCU would win 25-19 and bring the match to a fifth and final set.
In the senior's last home set VCU took an early lead. Hofstra went down by as many as four points, 6-10, but fought its way back to tie the score at 11-11. A ball handling error committed by Hofstra would end the set and give VCU their eighth conference win and Hofstra would fall to 2-9 in the CAA and 10-21 overall.
The Pride is next in action when it travels to Northeastern on Saturday Nov. 6. The rest of the Pride's schedule is on the road, as it goes to George Mason and James Madison to close out the season.