BLACKSBURG, Va. — William & Mary fell to Kent State in a closely contested five-set match on the final day of the Hokie Invitational at Cassell Coliseum on Saturday morning.
William & Mary (1-2) started strong in the first set after an initial setback, overcoming a 4-0 deficit.
Katherine Arnason got the tribe on the board with a kill and continued to deliver key points, including a kill that tied the score at 6-6.
The Tribe maintained pressure as the set progressed, with
Audrey Brcka contributing crucial points, including a kill to give the Tribe a 16-15 lead. It was part of a 5-point run, capped by
Emily McKee's kill to secure the set at 25-20.
W&M seized momentum in the second set with a series of impactful plays. Brcka led with a pivotal kill from
Avery Horejsi to open the scoring, setting the tone early. A service ace by Brcka and strong defensive efforts, including blocks by Arnason and
Olivia Westfort, helped maintain a competitive edge.
Although Kent State (2-1) leveled the score at 20-20, the Green and Gold managed to pull ahead with a decisive kill by Brcka and a bad set by Christina Vigil, closing the set at 25-23.
The Tribe faced challenges in the third set as Kent State built momentum with an early lead. Despite efforts from Hatfield, who assisted multiple plays, and Westfort's and McKee's timely kills, William & Mary struggled to close the gap. Kent State capitalized on W&M's errors and secured the win, 25-13.
In the fourth set, Kent State continued to control play.
Ava Crabtree and Brcka contributed with effective kills, both facilitated by Hatfield's assists. However, the Golden Flashes responded swiftly and went on to claim a 25-14 set victory.
The Tribe started the final set strong with a point from an attack error by Kent State's Lesley Furuta. Despite early kills by
Ally Bolden and Crabtree, William & Mary struggled to maintain the edge after Arnason's kill put them ahead 4-3. Kent State then capitalized on several attack errors by William & Mary to extend its lead.
A rally from the Green and Gold brought the score back within reach, thanks to McKee's kill and Westfort's service ace, narrowing the gap to 13-9. However, Kent State managed to secure the final points, winning the set 15-9.
STAT NUGGETS
- Arnason led the Tribe with 13 kills.
- Brcka tallied 11 kills and two service aces.
- Hatfield totaled 33 assists.
- Horejsi had 18 digs.
UP NEXT
W&M competes in the VCU Invitational on Friday against Virginia. First serve is set for 2 p.m. from Richmond, Va.
