Hofstra volleyball fights in five-set slug-fest to Towson

On Sunday, Oct. 1, the Hofstra University volleyball team lost a brawl in five sets to their conference rival, the Towson University Tigers, following a loss to the same team the day before.

“It was better than yesterday,” said Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur. “It was a good match. Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on certain points, but it was a good match. They fought and they played better than yesterday, so it was better.”

This is the fifth straight loss against the Tigers dating back to the 2021 season. Last season’s series and this season’s ended the same way, with a sweep in the first game and a gruesome five-game set in the second. Even with three straight losses, the Pride remains at the top of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) with a 13-4 record overall and 3-3 record in conference play.

Despite great efforts from Clara Bal, Izadora Stedile and Beatriz Braga with 18, 16 and 14 kills respectively, their efforts were not enough to get them over the edge to beat Towson.

“Iza is a huge part of our success,” Mansur said. “When she plays well, we are a much better team.”

The Pride were slow to open the match with a tight but quick loss, 25-20. Towson pounded the ball over the net as the Pride could not find their footing.

However, the second set proved to be the turning point in Hofstra’s game plan. Down 9-7, the Pride capitalized on three attack errors from Towson to take a 10-9 lead. From that point on the Pride’s energy placed them one step ahead of the Tigers. A late comeback from the Tigers tied the game 20-20 due to a service error. Bal then had three straight kills to catapult the Pride’s lead to 23-20. Stedile and Braga weren't far behind, sealing the set 25-21 with two kills.

Hofstra played similarly in the third with a relentless amount of energy in every serve and kill to the Tiger's side of the net. With a tight game and a 23-20 lead for Towson off a Victoria Barret kill, Hofstra clawed their way back in a last-second effort. The Pride rained kills over Towson from Emily Nunes, Bal and Stedile to score five straight points, winning the match 25-23.

“They definitely came, and we fought,” Mansur said. “But again, it’s those little decisions at certain times that make a difference in the match.”

Those little decisions came at late points of the game, especially in the fourth set. Although both teams paced each other, whichever team blinked first would fall. The Pride’s kill game continued to thrive, but attack errors started to ail them.

“Defensively, we had moments that we played really good defense,” Mansur said. “But we are still letting some balls drop that we just can’t, so we are going to continue to step up and improve.”

Towson forced a fifth set and set the tone right out of the gate. With a 4-3 lead, Towson used every game plan up their sleeve, scoring five straight points. That rally sealed an altogether fight, with the Tigers now having the upper hand. An attack error by Nunes completed the sweep for Towson, winning 15-9.

With the third straight win, Towson climbed up to a 12-4 record overall and a 5-1 record in CAA play.

As the Pride continues to the rest of their CAA opponents, Mansur is still confident in her team despite their past couple of games.

“We are a really good team,” Mansur said. “We can beat anyone when we play our game. I think it’s just us improving to make bigger plays when the game is on the line.”
Hofstra will now travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, where the Pride will look to break a three-game losing skid against North Carolina A&T University. The series begins on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 12 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of Alexis Friedman/Hofstra Athletics