SCHENECTADY, N.Y. –The William Smith volleyball team was tripped up twice this afternoon at the Union Tri-Match. The Herons fell to Union 3-1 in a crucial conference matchup before dropping a thrilling five-set match to Babson, who was receiving votes in this week's AVCA national poll. With the losses, the Herons fall to 19-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play, securing the No. 3 seed in the Liberty League Tournament.
 
Senior outside Malya Sayre led William Smith with 34 kills (.158) through two matches. She averaged 3.78 kills per set, 2.89 digs per set and 4.11 points per set. Sayre chipped in 26 digs, two blocks, two service aces and two assists through nine sets. Senior middle blocker Jaylynn McCarthy added 23 kills (.409) this afternoon and chipped in six blocks, two digs and an assist.
 
Sophomores Arielle Newsome (.209) and Emily Fulton (.167) added 15 kills each this afternoon. Newsome added nine blocks, while Fulton chipped in eight digs and three blocks. Senior Hope Von Dohlen (.182) and junior Maren Hunt (.273) added 10 kills each for William Smith. Von Dohlen recorded three digs, and one block, while Hunt tallied three blocks and a dig. Sophomore libero Kali Vanderhoof recorded 45 digs on the afternoon, averaging 5.00 digs per set.
  
MATCH MOMENTS:
 
Match 1 (Union):

• William Smith came out firing in the opening set, putting down a match-high 19 kills (.395) as a team, while Union put down just eight kills (.179). The Herons closed out set one with a dominant 25-14 win to open the match.
• The Garnet Chargers responded well with 12 kills (.379) in the second set. Despite combining for 19 kills (.250), the Herons racked up nine hitting errors, handing Union a 25-22 win in set two.
• Union used the momentum gained in set two to take a 2-1 lead in the third set after combining for 13 kills (.480) on only one error in the set. The Garnet Chargers held William Smith to a match-low nine kills (.063) to grab the lead heading into the fourth set.
• William Smith and Union traded the points in the fourth set as the Herons combined for 13 kills (.130), while the Garnet Chargers put down 14 kills (.160). A big block by Union would close out the conference battle with a 25-21 win for the Garnet Chargers in set four. With the win, Union secured the No. 2 seed in the Liberty League Tournament.

Match stats:

• Four Herons put down double-digit kills in the four-set loss. Sayre paced the Herons with 17 kills (.214), while McCarthy chipped in 11 (.391). Von Dohlen (.182) and Newsome (.304) added ten kills each in the loss. Fulton recorded eight kills (.280) for William Smith.
• Sophomore setter Delainy Williams tallied a match-high 55 assists against Union. With her 20th assist of the day, she surpassed the 2,000-career assist mark. She is the first Heron in program history to do so. Williams added six digs, one block, one service ace and a kill in the setback.
• The Herons combined for 67 digs as a team and were led by Vanderhoof with a season-high 25 digs. Sayre chipped in 18 digs for her seventh double-double of the season, while senior Marin Montagne added nine in the loss.
• William Smith tallied five service aces in the conference battle and were led by Sayre with two. Senior Cydney Fernandez and Vanderhoof added one ace each for the Herons.

Match 2 (Babson):

• Babson grabbed the early momentum as the Beavers put down 15 kills (.290), while holding the Herons to a match-low five kills (.08). Babson would take a 25-15 win in set one.
• William Smith responded well in the second, combining for a match-high 16 kills (.378). The Beavers combined for 15 kills (.176) but a kill by Hunt would close out the second set in favor of the Herons 25-21.
• The Herons continued on their momentum into the third set and combined for 11 kills (.156) in the set. Despite being down early, William Smith fought its way back into the set and closed out set three with a 25-23 win thanks to a big block from Fulton.
• Babson fought back in the must-win fourth set and forced William Smith to 13 hitting errors in the set. Despite only putting down eight kills (.143) compared to the Herons' 14 (.024), the Beavers forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-22 win in set four.
• William Smith and Babson traded the early points in set five all the way until the 12-12 mark. A kill by Sofia Ibarra and two attack errors from the Herons would close out the nonconference battle with a 15-12 win for Babson.

Match stats:

• The five-set thriller saw three Herons record double-digit kills. For the second time of the day, Sayre paced William Smith with 17 kills (.113), while McCarthy added a season-high 12 kills (.429) out of the middle. Hunt added a career-high 10 kills (.273) in the setback. Fulton chipped in seven kills (.069), while Newsome added five (.100) for the Herons.
• Williams tallied a team-high 45 assists in the nonconference showdown. She added 11 digs, two blocks and a kill in the loss.
• The Herons combined for 56 digs against the Beavers and were once again led by Vanderhoof with 20. Williams chipped in 11 digs, while Sayre added eight through five sets.
• William Smith combined for 12 blocks as a team and were led by Newsome with a career-high eight blocks. McCarthy and Hunt added three blocks each for the Herons.

UP NEXT:
 
William Smith will be back in action next weekend as it closes out the regular season with a home tri-match against Brandeis and Cortland. The Herons will take on the Judges at 11 a.m. and will conclude action against the Red Dragons at 5 p.m. in Bristol Gym.