NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - After knocking off Providence on Wednesday, the Manhattan College volleyball team entered Saturday afternoon's match at Iona looking to do something it hadn't done in more than two months-win back-to-back matches. Instead, the Lady Jaspers (8-22, 3-14 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) fell victim to the surging Gaels (12-15, 9-8 MAAC) for the second time in eight days, as Iona posted a 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 victory at the Hynes Athletic Center. Diane Strutner (San Jose, Calif.) tallied a match-high 16 digs in the match, including the 1,000th of her career.
Iona jumped out to an early 4-0 lead to immediately seize control of the first set. The Lady Jaspers used a 4-0 run of their own to trim their deficit from 11-6 to 11-10, but the Gaels scored five of the next seven points to bring their lead back to five at 17-12. Manhattan again chipped away, pulling within 18-16 on a kill by Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.), but Iona scored seven of the final eight points to clinch a 25-17 set win. The Gaels hit an impressive .375 (18 kills, three errors, 40 attempts) in the opening set.
It was the Lady Jaspers who took the early lead in the second set, taking a 3-1 advantage on a Laura Bellotti (Dix Hills, N.Y.) service ace, but Iona stormed back to take a 5-4 lead of its own. Manhattan scored the next point to tie it at 5-5, and the score would be deadlocked nine more times in the set. After Iona went on a 3-1 run to break a 12-12 tie, the Lady Jaspers responded with a 4-0 rally to turn a 15-13 deficit into a 17-15 lead. After an Iona timeout, the Gaels rattled off seven straight points to take a 22-17 advantage and seize control of the set. Manhattan pulled within three at 23-20, but the Gaels took a 2-0 lead in the match by claiming the second set, 25-20. Iona improved its hitting to .390 (18-2-41) in the second set.
The Gaels stormed out of the gate following the 10-minute intermission, scoring 11 of the first 13 points of the third set. Iona increased its lead to 18-6 before Manhattan began chipping away. A Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) ace highlighted an 8-2 run that brought the Lady Jaspers within 20-14 and force an Iona timeout. The Gaels moved within two points of clinching the match at 23-16, but Manhattan refused to go away, scoring the next three points before Iona finally got to match point at 24-19. Manhattan fought off the first three match point opportunities before the Gaels closed out the set, 25-22, to clinch a 3-0 victory in the match.
Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) posted a match-high 14 kills to lead the Lady Jaspers, while Strutner tallied nine kills to go along with her 16 digs. Bies registered 13 digs to go along with five assists and two aces. Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) finished one dig shy of a double-double, notching 29 assists and nine digs. Manhattan hit .144 (38-20-125) as a team.
Molly O'Shea slammed 13 kills on .417 hitting and added five blocks for the Gaels. Rachel Whitten posted 12 kills, while Sarah Wiener had 11 kills, seven digs and four blocks. Colleen Genett registered eight kills on .538 hitting and also tallied six blocks, as the Gaels outblocked the Lady Jaspers 12-3. Allison Nieters notched 13 digs and Laura Fojanesi recorded 12 digs, as Iona outdug Manhattan 56-55. Alyssa Erickson dished out 45 assists to go along with five digs and three aces. As a team, the Gaels hit .278 (49-14-126) in the match.
Manhattan, which wrapped up its road slate on Saturday, has one match remaining on the 2009 schedule. The Lady Jaspers host Siena (14-12, 12-5 MAAC) in the season finale on Sunday at 2 p.m. It will be Senior Day, as senior Rita Welsh (Collegeville, Pa.) will be honored prior to her final collegiate match.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers and on Facebook.com search "Manhattan Jaspers."