QUINCY, Ill. - The Hawks closed out the 2024 edition of the Quincy University Hawk Invitational with a pair of wins over the Pioneers of Malone and the Miners of Missouri S&T to finish a perfect 4-0 for the tournament and move to 8-0 on the season. 

Match One vs Malone

QU took the first three points of the set before Malone came right back shortly after to draw the score at 4-4. Neither side was able to create much separation from the other until a three-point QU run at the 15-15 mark put the Hawks ahead and they never looked back, taking seven of the final 10 points to close out a 25-18 win in the first set.

Malone took the initiative early in the second set pressing ahead 6-2 before an eight-point Hawks run propelled Quincy to a 10-6 lead. MU worked it's way back into the mix later in the set, taking seven of nine points to narrow the deficit to one point at 17-16. QU responded with six of the next eight points to build a 23-18 advantage before going on to take the set 25-21. 

The Hawks got things going early in the third set, pressing ahead 7-4 in the early going before taking a 15-7 edge later in the set. The Pioneers narrowed the margin to four points on two occasions down the stretch, but a late Quincy run of seven points to build a 23-12 lead would prove to be the deciding factor in a 25-13 winner to close out the match sweep. 

Notable Performances
Emma Wijnbergen - 22 Kills, .447 Hitting %, 2 Blocks, 1 Ace, 8 Digs
Elena Kasavica - 35 Assists, 2 Kills, 1 Block, 14 Digs
Janelle Pye-Blacknard - 10 Digs, 2 Aces, 1 Kill, 2 Assists

Match Two vs Missouri S&T

Quincy built the first lead above a single point at the 7-6 mark, using a run of four points to take a 10-7 advantage. The Hawks maintained their lead until a late four-point Miners run put S&T ahead 20-19. QU buckled down in the crunch time, withstanding several set-point threats from S&T before sealing the deal on kills from Zeynep Cetin and Emma Wijnbergen to claim a 29-27 win in the first set. 

The first four points of the set went in favor of the Hawks as QU got off to a hot start pushing ahead 11-6 early in the frame. The Miners used a three-point run later in set to pull within a point at 15-14 before taking a 20-18 lead on another three-point run shortly after. Quincy battled back to to even the tally at 21-21 and 23-23, but a pair of S&T points closed out a 23-25 loss in the second set. 

After surrendering the first four point sof the set, the Hawks used a six-point run to regain the advantage before nine of the next 13 points to build a convincing 15-8 edge in the third set. S&T never drew closer than five points for the remainder of the set as Quincy rolled on to take the third set 25-17. 

The Miners started off the set with six-straight points before opening up a 10-2 lead to kick off the fourth set. QU sandwiched an S&T point with five and three point runs to shave the lead down to 11-10. Shortly after, another three-point run put Quincy ahead for the first time in the set at 15-14. The Miners took a late 20-19 lead later in the set followed by a four-point Hawks run to make it 23-20. S&T regained the lead and forced set-point before kills from Erin Matzke and Elena Kasavica shortly after gave the Hawks a 28-26 set and 3-1 match win. 

Notable Performances
Emma Wijnbergen - 24 Kills, 3 Blocks, 2 Aces, 15 Digs
Luna Van Baars - 19 Kills, .378 Hitting %, 8 Digs
Elena Kasavica - 56 Assists, 2 Kills, 1 Ace, 1 Block, 18 Digs

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Macy McCauley - Malone
Taylor Hasbrook - Maryville
Emma Wijnbergen - Quincy
Alina Carrillo - S&T
Bella LaPorta - WJC
Sidney Paulson - Winona State

Next Up

The Hawks are headed south to Cleveland, TN for the Lee University Tournament next Friday and Saturday (Sep. 20 & 21). QU takes on Embry-Riddle and Nova Southeastern on Friday before facing North Greenville and the host Lee on Saturday.