2012 Manhattan Volleyball Yearbook
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Entering Sunday's match, the volleyball teams from Manhattan and Canisius were the two hottest squads in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Jaspers came into the contest on a five-match winning streak, while the first-place Griffs had won their last six. After four highly competitive sets, it was Manhattan (9-9, 4-3 MAAC) that saw its streak come to an end, as Canisius (9-7, 6-0 MAAC) posted a 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 26-24 victory at Draddy Gymnasium.
Canisius immediately jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first set, but Manhattan battled back to tie it at 9-9 on a kill by Malia McGuinness (Kailua, Hawaii). The Griffs scored the next three points to go up 12-9 before the Jaspers again rallied to force a 12-12 deadlock. However, Canisius recorded a block on each of the next three points to regain the lead, 15-12. After the Griffs used another block to run their advantage to 22-18, Manhattan used a three-point spurt to pull back within one, 22-21. The Griffs would score the next three points, though, to claim a 25-21 set win.
The second set featured 11 ties and five lead changes. After the Jaspers turned a 4-4 deadlock into a 7-4 advantage, Canisius responded with three straight points to tie the score at 7-7. The Griffs eventually went in front 13-12 before Manhattan scored the next three points to regain the lead, 15-13. Canisius again rallied to take an 18-17 advantage, but Mariana Furquim (Curitiba, Brazil) followed with a kill to even things up at 18-18. That kill ignited a five-point Manhattan rally, and the Jaspers increased their cushion to 22-18 after consecutive Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) service aces and a kill by Juliana Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii). Manhattan held on to take the set, 25-20, and even the match at 1-1.
The back-and-forth nature of the match continued in the third set, as the lead changed hands five times and the score was tied on nine occasions. A Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) kill started a 4-0 Manhattan spurt that gave the Jaspers a 7-4 lead before Canisius responded with 11 of the next 15 points to go up 15-11. Manhattan chipped away at the margin and eventually went back in front, 18-17, on a block by Behrens and Furquim. After the Griffs regained the lead, 21-19, the Jaspers claimed three of the next four points to tie it again at 22-22. Canisius scored the next two points to reach set point, but Manhattan got a kill from McGuinness and a block by Alexa Lampasona (Remsenburg, N.Y.) and Volovski to force a 24-24 deadlock. However, the Griffs won the next two points to finish off a 26-24 set win.
In the fourth set, the sides traded points early on before Canisius used a 6-1 rally to take a 10-5 lead. Manhattan responded with an 8-4 run to pull within one, 14-13, and the Jaspers eventually knotted the score at 17-17. After the Griffs scored three straight points to break an 18-18 deadlock, Behrens slammed a kill to start a 4-1 Manhattan spurt that tied the score again at 22-22. Canisius scored the next point to regain the lead before Lampasona pounded back-to-back kills to bring the Jaspers to set point. However, the Griffs claimed the next three points to earn a 26-24 set win and clinch a 3-1 victory.
Furquim led four Jaspers in double-figures with 15 kills. She added 15 digs and three blocks. McGuinness also had a double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs, while Behrens recorded 13 kills and four blocks and Lampasona tallied 10 kills. Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) distributed 44 assists to go along with 15 digs, and Hollegn Henderson (Long Beach, Calif.) handed out 12 assists. Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) collected a match-high 30 digs, as the Jaspers outdug the Griffs 103-92. Bies registered 23 digs while also contributing three aces. As a team, Manhattan hit .140 (61 kills, 33 errors, 200 attempts) in the match.
Emily Elek had 13 kills and 21 digs for Canisius. Samantha Good also recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 10 blocks, while Logan Sulongga tallied 11 kills and six blocks. Sydney Palka contributed 45 assists and 14 digs while also hitting .429. Allyson Severyn notched a team-high 23 digs, and Jessica Warner collected 14 digs to go along with eight kills. Emily Litwin added 12 digs for the Griffs. Canisius outblocked Manhattan 15-6 and hit .174 (54-20-195) as a team.
After playing six straight at home, Manhattan hits the road for three of their next four matches. The Jaspers visit Rider (7-8, 1-5 MAAC), who they beat in three sets on Wednesday night, at 1 p.m. on Saturday.