2012 Manhattan Volleyball Yearbook
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The Manhattan College volleyball team opened its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule on Saturday afternoon. The Jaspers (4-7, 0-1 MAAC) fought off five match points in the third set, eventually winning the frame, before ultimately dropping a 25-12, 25-14, 28-30, 26-24 decision to the Gaels (3-8, 1-0 MAAC) at the Hynes Athletic Center. The loss snapped Manhattan's three-match winning streak.
Iona took control of the first set early on, jumping out to a 13-4 advantage. After the Jaspers pulled within 16-8, the Gaels went on a 4-0 run to increase the margin to 20-8. The Gaels reached set point at 24-11 and won the frame by a 25-12 count. Iona hit .378 in the set, slamming 19 kills and committing just two errors in 45 attempts. The Jaspers, meanwhile, hit -.022 (5-6-46).
There were six ties in the first 18 points of the second set. Manhattan took its first lead when a kill by Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) made it 9-8, but Iona responded with a 6-1 run to pull in front, 14-10. After an Iona service error brought the Jaspers within three at 15-12, the Gaels rallied for eight of the next nine points to extend their lead to 23-13. Iona went ahead 2-0 in the match after a 25-14 set win. Iona's solid offense continued in the second set, as the Gaels committed just one error and hit .692 (19 kills, 26 attempts).
The teams traded points early in the third set before Manhattan used a 6-0 spurt to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 10-5 lead. After a block by Alexa Lampasona (Remsenburg, N.Y.) and Lampasona gave the Jaspers a 13-9 advantage, Iona went on a 9-2 run to take an 18-15 lead of its own. The Gaels eventually extended their cushion to 24-21, bringing them within one point of victory.
However, the Jaspers battled back. Lamapsona slammed a kill, then, following an Iona error, a kill by Ellie Wiekamp (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) tied the score at 24-24. Juliana Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii) pounded a kill to give Manhattan its first set point before Iona evened things at 25-25. Manhattan reached set point again on another Behrens kill, but Iona scored the next two to earn another match point opportunity. Manhattan fought off that match point, then one more at 28-27, before earning another set point on a block by Volovski and Lampasona. This time, the Jaspers converted. Manhattan won the set 30-28 to extend the match.
The Jaspers carried their momentum into set four, quickly jumping out to leads of 4-0 and 10-3. Iona won four of the next five points to make it 13-9 before Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) was credited with a kill on a bump pass that found the floor. That sparked a 4-0 Manhattan rally that extended the Jaspers' lead to 17-9. However, the Gaels continued to claw away, pulling within one at 23-22. A kill by Mariana Furquim (Curitiba, Brazil) brought the Jaspers to set point at 24-22, but this time it was Iona's turn to come back. The Gaels won the next four points to clinch the set, 26-24, and the match, 3-1.
Furquim posted a double-double to lead the Jaspers. She finished with 16 kills and 14 digs. Making her Manhattan debut, Behrens was sensational. She hit .571 in the match, slamming 13 kills and committing just one error in 21 attempts. Volovski added seven kills and four blocks, while Lampasona tallied five blocks and Hollegn Henderson (Long Beach, Calif.) distributed 45 assists. Huntoon contributed a team-high 26 digs, with Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Wiekamp recording 12 and 10 digs, respectively. As a team, the Jaspers hit .141 (51-24-191) in the match.
Alicja Pawelec recorded a match-high 23 kills to go along with 15 digs and four blocks. Catrina Warren also had a double-double, notching 17 kills and 11 digs. She added four blocks. Taylor Cembalisty finished with 11 kills on .370 hitting and added eight digs, while McKenzie Humann hit .357 and registered four blocks. Caris Myles just missed a double-double with 59 assists and nine digs. Theresa Harvey collected a match-high 31 digs, as Iona outdug Manhattan 102-83. Katie Marabella contributed 14 digs, and Madisyn Spence notched 12 digs and three blocks. Overall, Iona hit .283 (69-18-180) as a team.
Manhattan is back in action with a 2 p.m. matchup at Fairfield (6-5, 1-0 MAAC) on Sunday. The contest with the Stags will conclude the Jaspers' season-opening 12-match road trip.