SCRANTON, Penn. --

Coast Guard was pushed by New Paltz but the Bears were able to start their season 1-0 with a 3-0 victory. CGA won by scores of 25-19, 25-18, and 28-26. Suny New Paltz(0-1) will next face Misericordia tomorrow at 1:30 PM.

Set one was the Bears all the way en route to victory, trailing only three times never more than one point(10-11, 11-12, 12-13). Set two was more of the same with the Bears leading nearly all the way. New Paltz led 3-0 early but CGA quickly stormed back, taking a 6-5 lead on back to back Allie Wildsmith(Bainbridge Island, WA) aces and never looking back. Set three was a roller coaster with the Bears relinquishing an eight point 22-14 lead to the Hawks. New Paltz even got to set point at 25-24 but a clutch kill from junior Sarah Somer(Cary, NC) tied the set at 25. The Bears would go on to win the match with a 28-26 set victory.

The match was dominated by Coast Guard's pair of Junior six-footers Sarah Somer and Allie Wildsmith. Somer led all Bears with nine kills while Wildsmith added eight with a match high kill percentage of .538. They each also had two blocks in the match. 

Defensively, the Bears were stellar. CGA outpaced New Paltz in reception percentage(.907-.859), blocks(8-6), and digs(42-40). Senior Libero Kaela France(Ellicott, CO) locked it down for the Bears with a match high 14 digs. France also added 4 assists. Sophomore setter Sophia Rosenberg(Lebanon, PA) had a career high 16 assists in a promising start to her sophomore campaign. 

Coast Guard will next face the University of Scranton tomorrow at 11 AM and will face Misericordia later on at 4 PM.