Manhattan University Athletics

Box Score

2012 Manhattan Volleyball Yearbook 

RIVERDALE, N.Y. - On "Lee National Denim Day" at Draddy Gymnasium, the Manhattan College volleyball team battled back to force a fifth set for the second consecutive match on Sunrday.  However, one day after rallying from 0-2 down to knock off Iona, the Jaspers (13-11, 8-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) came up short in their comeback bid this time, as first-place Fairfield (15-8, 10-3 MAAC) held on for a 25-19, 20-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-12 victory.

The Jaspers quickly jumped out to a 4-1 lead to start the match, but Fairfield claimed the next three points to tie the score.  The Stags eventually built an 11-7 advantage before back-to-back Manhattan points, capped by an Alexa Lampasona (Remsenburg, N.Y.) and Mariana Furquim (Curitiba, Brazil) block, brought the margin within two at 11-9.  However, Fairfield responded with a 10-3 run that extended its lead to 21-12.  Manhattan countered with four straight points, including a pair of Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) service aces, to cut its deficit to five, 21-16.  It would get no closer, though, as Fairfield finished off the set by a 25-19 count.

Manhattan built an early lead again in the second set, taking a 5-1 advantage.  Fairfield gradually chipped away, eventually going up by three at 20-17.  A Lampasona kill snapped a 5-1 Fairfield run and brought the Jaspers back within two, 20-18.  That kill ignited a 7-0 Manhattan run, and the Jaspers claimed the set, 25-20, on a kill by Ellie Wiekamp (Laguna Niguel, Calif.).

It was Fairfield that raced out to the early advantage in set three.  The Stags scored six of the first eight points of the frame and led 13-7 before Manhattan used a 7-2 run to pull within one at 15-14.  After the teams traded the next six points, Fairfield went on a 6-2 spurt to reach set point.  Manhattan fought off the Stags' first set point opportunity, but Fairfield took advantage of it second, winning the stanza 25-20 to go ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five match.

The fourth set featured eight ties and five lead changes in the early going.  Fairfield led 7-5 before a 5-1 Manhattan rally put the Jaspers in front 10-8.  After the Stags took the next two points to tie the score, Furquim slammed a kill to start an 11-1 Jaspers run that gave Manhattan a comfortable 21-11 margin.  The Jaspers reached set point on a Wiekamp kill that made it 24-18, and Manhattan won the next point to close out the set, 25-18, and level the match.

After Furquim and Lampasona registered a block on the first point of the final set, Fairfield rallied for six in a row to build a 6-1 cushion.  Manhattan claimed the next two points to make it 6-3, but the Stags responded with three of the next four to run their margin to five points, 9-4.  However, the Jaspers battled back and eventually pulled within one on a Furquim kill that made it 11-10.  Manhattan was unable to record the equalizer, though, as the Stags scored three of the next four points to move within one point of victory.  Fairfield wrapped up the set 15-12 to hand Manhattan its first five-set home loss since the 2009 season opener, a span of 10 matches.  (While technically a "home" match, the Jaspers' 3-2 loss to Niagara last season took place on the campus of Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, N.J.)

Furquim paced the Jaspers with 18 kills while also notching 16 digs.  Wiekamp also had a double-double with 16 kills and 12 digs, while Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) tallied 53 assists, 14 digs and two service aces.  Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) finished with 10 blocks, and Lampasona contributed four blocks.  Huntoon registered a team-high 23 digs and Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) added 13 digs.  As a team, Manhattan hit .157 (56-26-191) in the match.

Caitlin Stapleton recorded 18 kills on .359 hitting to lead the Stags.  Camille Coffey added 14 kills, 18 digs and four errors, while Brianna Dixion also contributed 14 kills.  Rachel Romansky also had a double-double, notching 54 assists and 11 digs to go along with six kills on .375 hitting, two aces and four blocks.  Carsen Mata and Kara Reis each collected 25 digs, as Fairfield outdug Manhattan 95-84.  The Stags also outblocked the Jaspers 10-7 and hit .198 (66-29-187) as a team.

Manhattan could've moved into a first-place tie with a victory, but instead fell one full game behind Siena (15-10, 9-4 MAAC) for fourth place in the MAAC with five conference matches remaining on the schedule.  Fairfield has a half-game lead over second-place Canisius and Niagara, who are both 9-3 in conference play.