GENEVA, N.Y.—The 14th-ranked Hobart volleyball team fell in a thrilling five-set United Volleyball Conference match to No. 13 New York University this afternoon in Bristol Gymnasium. The Statesmen fall to 14-8 overall and 2-3 in conference play, while the Violets move to 9-6 overall with a 1-2 mark in the UVC.

The thrilling conference matchup was evenly split between the two sides, with the teams forcing extra points in four of the five sets. NYU put down 64 kills (.345) compared to Hobart's 63 (.211). The Statesmen combined for 56 digs as a team compared to the Violets 55 and tallied eight service aces to NYU's four.

Graduate student Andrew Kim led the match with 28 kills (.328) and 12 digs for his second consecutive double-double and third of the season. He added four assists, three aces and two blocks through five sets. First-year Daniel Sappia put down a career-high 21 kills (.182) in the loss. He chipped in six digs, two aces and one assist.

NYU was led by Ry Kagan with 20 kills (.655), four blocks and three digs. Lucas Osiecki added 17 kills (.317) for the Violets, while Luke Boyer chipped in 15 (.333). Devyn Nguyen tallied 54 assists in the win.

MATCH MOMENTS:

• The Statesmen came out firing in the first set, putting down 13 kills (.162) as a team compared to the Violet's 11 (.333). Kim's eight kills (.238) helped Hobart to maintain a lead throughout most of the set despite a late comeback by NYU. The Statesmen grabbed a 25-23 win to open up the match on top 1-0.
• The second set saw back-and-forth action between the two sides with the teams trading the lead three times and nine tie scores. Sappia fired off six (.286) of Hobart's 15 kills (.306) in the second set but was matched by an efficient NYU offense that put down 16 kills (.333). The Violet's found back-to-back kills from Kagan to grab a 27-25 win in set two to tie the match at 1-1.
• The thrilling third set between Hobart and NYU saw 18 tie scores and six lead changes as both sides fired off match-high numbers. The Statesmen combined for 18 kills (.316) while the Violet's tallied 16 kills (.308) as a team. First-year Aiden Kemora came up huge down the stretch, putting down three late kills and one huge block to deliver Hobart a dramatic 29-27 win.
• NYU responded well in the fourth, putting down 12 kills (.571) on zero errors in the set. The Violet's combined for three blocks and held the Statesmen to 10 kills (.065) to grab a dominating 25-15 win in the fourth, forcing a fifth set.
• The fifth set saw eight tie scores and four lead changes, forcing an extra point scenario for the fourth time this afternoon. Kim tallied all seven (.429) of the Statesmen's kills in the final set but was matched by a balanced NYU attack that put down nine kills (.211) as a team. Back-to-back kills by Kagan delivered the Violet's a 16-14 win in the decisive set earning NYU its first conference victory of the season.

MATCH STATS:

• Kim led Hobart with a match-high 28 kills (.328), while Sappia added a career-high 21 (.182). Kemora chipped in eight (.042) in the loss.
• First-year setter Zack Farren recorded 47 assists and 13 digs for his second double-double of the season. He added two blocks for the Statesmen.
• Hobart continued to show scrappy defensive efforts that led to three Statesmen recording double-digit digs. First-year libero Gavin Meador led the way with 14, while Farren chipped in a career-high 13. Kim added 12 in the loss.
• The Statesmen served tough from the service line, recording eight aces compared to the Violet's four. Kim recorded a match-high three aces, while Kemora and Sappia chipped in two each. First-year Nate Magni served up one ace as well.

UP NEXT:
 
Hobart will be back in action Saturday, March 16, when it heads to Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, for two nonconference matches. The Statesmen are set to take on Eastern Mennonite University at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup with Juniata College at 4 p.m.