United Volleyball Conference Hobart Athletic Communications

Hobart Clinches UVC Playoff Berth With Sweep at Elmira

ELMIRA, NY –The Hobart volleyball team cruised to a 3-0 conference win over Elmira this afternoon, officially clinching a spot in the UVC playoffs for the third straight season. With the win, the Statesmen improve to 10-9 overall with a 4-0 mark in conference play, while the Soaring Eagles fall to 10-9 on the season and 0-4 in the UVC.
 
Hobart put on a dominant performance in the sweep, leading Elmira in several statistical categories. The Statesmen combined for 32 kills (.314), while the Soaring Eagles tallied 28 kills (.073) as a team. Hobart held a 7-1 edge in service aces and a 13-3 advantage in blocks in the win. The Statesmen also held a 32-27 advantage in assists, while the Soaring Eagles held a 25-24 edge in digs in the conference battle.
 
Junior Noah DeLong led Hobart with eight kills (.438) in the sweep. DeLong added eight blocks, two service aces and one dig in the win as well. First-year Harry Fromberg chipped in seven kills (.417), two blocks, two service aces and two digs, while junior Daniel Sappia added six kills (.231), eight digs and one assist. Junior Aiden Kemora (.400) and sophomore Kian Kischke (.231) chipped in five kills each in the win and combined for eight blocks, four digs and three service aces in the sweep.
 
Elmira was led by Gabriel Staron's 13 kills (.333) and four digs. Luke Jata added 11 kills (-.031) and five digs in the loss. Nick Rohman tallied a team-high 19 assists and chipped in five digs in the setback.

MATCH MOMENTS:
  • Hobart struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the opening set as it combined for seven kills (.048) compared to Elmira's 12 kills (.138). Despite falling behind early, the Statesmen chipped away at the Soaring Eagles lead and closed out the first set with a 25-21 win thanks to a big kill from DeLong.
  • The Statesmen continued on their momentum into the second set as they combined for 12 kills (.44) as a team compared to the Soaring Eagles' 10 (.069). Hobart's block showed up big in the second set, forcing Elmira into eight hitting errors, handing the Statesmen a dominant 25-15 win in set two.
  • Hobart closed out the sweep with an impressive showing in the third set as the Statesmen combined for a match-high 13 kills (.417) while holding Elmira to a match-low six kills (.000). Hobart jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, closing out the final set on top 25-19 thanks to a big block from Fromberg and first-year Ben Welsh.
MATCH STATS:
  • DeLong led the way with eight kills (.438), while Fromberg chipped in seven (.417) in the win. Sappia put down six kills (.231), while Kemora (.400) and Kischke (.231) added five kills each in the sweep.
  • Junior Zack Farren and first-year Tor Boughal led the Statesmen from the setter position, recording 16 and eight assists each, respectively. The duo combined for four digs and one block in the win.
  • Hobart combined for 24 digs as a team and was led by Sappia with eight digs. Farren, Kemora and junior libero Gavin Meador chipped in four digs each, while Fromberg added two digs as well.
  • The Statesmen held a 13-3 advantage in blocks against the Soaring Eagles and were led by DeLong and Kischke with eight blocks each. Welsh chipped in five blocks, while Fromberg added two.
  • The Purple and Orange dominated from the service line, combining for seven aces as a team. DeLong, Kischke and Fromberg led the way with two aces each, while Kemora added one ace in the win.
COACHES CORNER:
 
"Our defense bailed us out of a slow start offensively in the first set," said Head Coach Steve England. "I am proud of the way we rebounded in the second and third sets. Our ability to block Elmira's outside hitters was the key to our success. It is the first time we have won four matches in conference play, and I am so proud of how far this program has come. We have a tough opponent in MIT over spring break that we have to get ready for. Go Hobart!"
 
UP NEXT:
 
Hobart will be back in action Wednesday, March 18, when it continues UVC play against MIT. Action between the Statesmen and the Engineers is set for 7 p.m. at Rockwell Cage in Cambridge, Massachusetts.