Hartwick box | Elmira box | Updated stats
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Nazareth opened its Empire 8 Conference women's volleyball schedule in successful fashion Saturday by sweeping Hartwick in a three-set match. Scores were 25-21, 25-18, 25-18. Nazareth also downed host Elmira in four sets by scores of 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-13.

The Golden Flyers are 9-4 overall and 2-0 in conference action. Hartwick dropped to 7-8 overall and 2-1 in the E8. Nazareth plays again Wednesday at Buffalo State in a. non-conference match at 7 p.m

Juniors Kelsey Milligan and Carmen Sapp each generated 10 kills and sophomores Delaney Martin and Melissa Newcomb each had nine. Freshman setter Jessica Barry amassed 39 assists. Freshman libero Savannah Bothner had 22 digs and junior Madison Joseph had 11. Sophomore Danielle Synowski had five service aces.

Milligan had five of her kills in the opening set and Bothner had nine of her digs as Nazareth pulled away from a 15-15 deadlock. Milligan and Joseph each had four kills in the second set and Newcomb had six in the third set.

Nazareth trailed 6-3 early in the second set before rallying. The deficit was 6-2 in the third set before a 10-1 scoring run ended on a kill by Sapp and a 12-7 lead.

Nazareth hit .349 overall (47-10-106), compared to .182 (31-11-110) for Hartwick.

Against Elmira, Joseph had a career-best 17 kills and Barry racked up 46 assists. Milligan added 12 kills and Newcomb had 10. Bothner had 19 digs and Synowski had a career-best 18. Joseph, Milligan and Newcomb each had four kills in the opening set and Newcomb added four more in the second set.

After dropping the third set, Nazareth came back strong in set number four as Joseph pounded out eight more kills. Nazareth built a 13-2 lead and was never seriously challenged thereafter. The match ended on a pair of service aces by Milligan.