Hempstead, NY – Junior right side Veronika Kostova cemented herself as one of the top players in the Colonial Athletic Association with a match-high 21 kills as the Hofstra Volleyball team defeated Towson in five sets on Friday evening at the David S. Mack Physical Education Center. 

Set scores were 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 23-25 and 16-14 in favor of Hofstra, which improved to 18-9 overall and 9-3 in CAA play with the win. It was the Pride's third straight victory and fourth in their last five contests. Towson fell to 23-5 and 10-4. 

Sophomore outside hitter Brianna Montgomery came up huge for the Pride in the match as she contributed 11 kills, five digs, four blocks and four service aces. Junior setter Hannah Klemm nearly had a double-double for Hofstra with 50 assists and nine digs. 

Candace Steadman led Towson with 17 kills and a .667 attack percentage, while Kyana Miller totaled 36 assists and 10 digs for the Tigers. 

A back-and-forth match saw a total of 25 tie scores and 11 lead changes in the five-set thriller with the first and fifth sets being the tightest of the contest. 

Towson scored the first two points of the final stanza and still led 6-4 before Hofstra gradually rallied and eventually took a 10-9 lead on a kill from Kostova. Neither squad would give an inch down the stretch with the Tigers having a match point at 14-13 before a kill from sophomore middle blocker Leticia Valente knotted the score at 14. Hofstra would get its first chance to put the match away as a Montgomery kill made it 15-14 and Valente would end the slugfest with her 10th kill of the contest to give the Pride the win.  

Freshman outside hitter Nanishka Perez posted a team-best 15 digs in the match, while junior defensive specialist Sophia Black added 10 digs. Freshman libero Luisa Domingues chipped in with nine digs, four assists and two service aces. 

Anna Holehouse picked up a match-high 17 digs for the Tigers. 

Hofstra is back in action tomorrow night when it hosts James Madison at 7 p.m. 

NOTES
- Hofstra is 41-13 all-time against Towson and the teams split the season series this year. 
- Freshman middle blocker Michela Rucli had five blocks in the match and has tallied five or more blocks in 16 of the Pride's 27 matches this season. 
- Tonight's match was Hofstra's 10th five-set match of the season, its most since also playing 10 in 2008. 
- Kostova has tallied double figures in kills in 22 of the Pride's 27 matches this season.