NEW YORK, N.Y.- The Hunter College women's volleyball team celebrated Senior Night with a thrilling five-set comeback victory over Baruch College on Thursday evening at the Hunter College Sportsplex. After falling behind twice in the match, the Hawks rallied to secure a 3-2 win in their final home contest of the regular season, preserving their undefeated record in CUNYAC (City University of New York Athletic Conference) play.
Prior to the match, Hunter honored seniors Arianna Calderon Jimenez and Michelle Liu for their contributions to the women's volleyball program.
The Hawks (11-9, 6-0 CUNYAC) struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the opening set against Baruch (12-13, 3-3 CUNYAC), recording just three kills as the Bearcats took an early advantage with a 25-11 victory.
Hunter responded in the second, improving its offensive production with 12 kills. The Hawks battled through a competitive frame featuring three ties and two lead changes, pulling away late for a 25-23 win to even the match. Baruch regained control in the third, taking a 25-19 victory to put Hunter on the brink of defeat.
With their unbeaten conference record on the line, the Hawks answered in the fourth. Hunter hit .185 in a tightly contested set that featured eight ties and four lead changes. The Purple and Gold remained composed down the stretch, securing a 25-21 victory to force a decisive fifth set.
Hunter saved its most efficient offensive performance for the final frame, hitting .333 with five kills and just one error. The Hawks held Baruch to a .071 hitting percentage and closed out the comeback with a 15-9 victory, completing the Senior Night celebration in dramatic fashion.
Kassidy Cruz Nuesi led the Hunter attack with a team-high 11 kills while hitting .250 and adding three service aces and two total blocks. River Sutch, appearing in her first match in a month, turned in a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs while hitting .292 and contributing two aces.
Melissa Alfaro provided a strong presence at the net, recording seven kills on a .333 hitting percentage while leading the Hawks with six total blocks, including one solo. Calderon Jimenez contributed six kills and two assists in her Senior Night appearance, while Liu added two kills and a block assist.
Sofia Marolla directed the offense with a match-high 32 assists while adding seven digs, three service aces and two kills. Maya Cosmo anchored the defensive effort with a team-high 14 digs and two aces, while Varvara Kudinova added three service aces and two kills.
Hunter finished the evening with 41 kills, 38 assists, 47 digs and 16 service aces. The Hawks also recorded eight total blocks in the five-set victory.
The Hawks return to the court on Oct. 31 for a tri-match hosted by Stevens Tech. Hunter will face the hosting Ducks at 11:30 a.m. followed by Rowan University at 1:30 p.m.
