Bay Path Goes Five In Loss to SUNY-Cobleskill

Bay Path Goes Five In Loss to SUNY-Cobleskill

LONGMEADOW, MA – The Bay Path University volleyball team went the distance on Thursday evening in its home opener, but the Wildcats fell to SUNY-Cobleskill, 3-2.

The Fighting Tigers took the contest, 23-25, 25-20, 25-12, 28-30, 15-8 as they outhit the host team, .236 to .169.

In the opening set, Bay Path raced out to a 10-4 lead following a service ace from Beyhan Gonzalez (Patillas, PR).  Trailing 17-13, the visiting Fighting Tigers scored six straight points to take a 19-17 lead, but a kill from Victoria Burkovskiy (Southwick, MA) tied the match back up at 20-20.  With the set tied at 23-23, the Wildcats used a Cobleskill error and then capped off the first set win on a block from Janaye Cunningham (Brentwood, NY) and ZaLeah Gardner (Raymondville, TX).

SUNY-Cobleskill was able to take the next two sets, but Bay Path stayed alive with a huge win in the fourth set, 30-28. Bay Path took a 15-10 lead midway through the set and led by as much as 20-16 before the Fighting Tigers cut into the lead. The two teams exchanged the lead back and forth with both squads have numerous set points.  However, with a 29-28 lead, Lilly Kibbe (Ware, MA) notched the kill, sending the match to a fifth set.

Cobleskill opened the fifth on a 6-1 run and Bay Path would never be able to get any closer than three as the visitors took the final set, 15-8.

Offensively, Anastasiya Tsetsko (Horsham, PA) led all players with 17 kills. Kibbe added nine kills and Marissa Courchesne (Belchertown, MA) had eight kills, hitting a team-high .353. Michelle Santiago (Springfield, MA) dished out 28 assists, while KyLee Finch (Riverton, UT) added 10 assists.

Santiago also had three service aces as did Zyiasia Knighton (Springfield, MA).  Knighton also led the team with 15 digs, while Kibbe chipped in 12.

Bay Path remains home on Saturday when they host Massachusetts Maritime Academy at 3pm at the Longmeadow Adult Center.