Hofstra completes epic comeback against Seton Hall

The best match was saved for last at the Hofstra Invitational as the Pride volleyball team won a five-set thriller against Seton Hall Saturday night 3-2.  

The Pirates started off with a dominating first two sets – 25-17 and 25-19, respectively – but Hofstra would win the next three 25-11, 25-13 and 19-17 to complete the comeback victory in front of a very energetic crowd at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center.  

After a couple of lead changes and early several ties, Seton Hall would take a demanding lead in set one and overwhelm the Pride with 12 kills to win the set 25-17.

After a 17-17 start to set two, the Pirates would use an 8-2 run to close out the set 25-19. This seemed to incite a jolt in the Pride, as in the third set, they jumped out to a 10-6 lead. After serval point exchanges, Hofstra would pull away with an 11-2 run to win 25-11, posting a .520 attack percentage for the set.

The fourth stanza saw Seton Hall jump to an early 10-7 lead, but following a Hofstra timeout, the Pride went on a 9-1 run to go up for good. After the Pirates managed to put some points on the board, Hofstra ended on a 9-0 run to win the set 25-13.

With support from the stands, the rejuvenated Pride found themselves trailing 4-1 to start the game-deciding fifth set. From there, the teams exchanged numerous points until Hofstra pulled ahead 14-13.  

The Pirates then responded with two straight points, to which Hofstra answered and tied it at 16 on a service error from Seton Hall. Following that, the Pirates would go up 17-16 on a Hofstra attack error, followed by the Pride scoring three straight points to win the match 19-17 as an electrified crowd roared from the stands.

“It was great to have them here, to have everyone helping out,” said Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur. “I hope more people come because the energy is awesome. It’s great for us.”

Hofstra was led by junior Laura Masciullo and freshman Aisha Skinner, who each had 17 kills and two blocks.  

Senior Doris Bogoje posted a season-high 12 kills with 7 blocks, while junior Luisa Sydlik added 56 assists in the thrilling comeback. Freshman Maddie Appleton ended with a game-high 20 digs.

For Seton Hall, senior Abby Thelen led the way with 16 kills, while Caitlin Koska fell closely behind with 14 kills as well as 12 digs and 2 aces.

With the win, Hofstra moves to 10-6 all-time versus Seton Hall.

“I thought both teams really wanted it and really could have gone either way. We just played better those last two points to get the win but I really thought it was a very respectful game,” Mansur said.  

Seton Hall has lost five of their last six and will be traveling to Villanova (7-5) on Wednesday, Sept. 19 in their league opener in the Big East Conference.

With the win, Hofstra has won three of their last four matches.

Up next, the Pride will open Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play when they travel to James Madison University on Saturday, Sept. 22.

When talking about how this match will help motivate Hofstra in league play, Mansur said, “It’s good to go into one [match] and know that we can pull off in a game by two points. That is a huge thing for us.”

Mansur is now only three matches away from the 100 wins club as a coach, and what better way to help her get one step closer to reaching the milestone than a win against an old CAA foe?

Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics