Newark, DE – Sophomore Michela Rucli had a team-high 10 kills and added four blocks, but it was not enough as Delaware won the final two sets of the match to capture a four-set decision over the Hofstra Volleyball team on Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center. 

Hofstra slips to 19-9 and 9-6 in Colonial Athletic Association play with the loss, while Delaware improved to 13-14 and 7-7 in league action. 

The Blue Hens won a tight first set as they broke a 17-all tie with a quick 3-0 run to lead 20-17. Hofstra would close the gap to two on a pair of occasions late in the stanza but get not complete the rally and dropped the opening set. 

Hofstra led by as many as 10 points in the second set as a kill from freshman Laura Masciullo made it 20-10. Delaware managed to make it 20-17 with seven straight points but the Pride held off a late Blue Hen charge and ended the set with a kill from sophomore Nanishka Perez. 

Both the third and fourth sets would be won by Delaware by identical scores with the Blue Hens breaking open the fourth and final stanza with a set-closing 10-1 run to earn the win. 

Sophomore Doris Bogoje added nine kills for Hofstra, while Perez tallied eight kills and tied senior Sophia Black for team-high honors with 11 digs. Senior Hannah Klemm tallied 25 assists and six digs. 

Maria Bellinger led Delaware with 18 kills, while Kori Rasmussen had 14 digs and Erin Layne posted 43 assists. 

Hofstra will close the regular season next Friday, November 11, when it heads to Elon for a 7 p.m. match. 

NOTES
- Hofstra is now 48-19 all-time against Delaware. The teams split the season series at the Pride defeated the Blue Hens in three sets back on October 8 in Hempstead.