Box Score
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Entering the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships, the Manhattan College volleyball team had beaten eight of its nine MAAC opponents this season. The one exception: Siena. As fate would have it, the Jaspers would get their chance to knock off the Saints in the semifinals. Unfortunately, though, the third time was not the charm, as second-seeded Siena (18-14) defeated third-seeded Manhattan (21-12) 25-22, 25-16, 25-19 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex's HP Pavilion on Friday night to advance to the MAAC Championship Match against top-seeded Marist (25-5).
After Siena scored the first two points of the match, the Jaspers responded with three straight to take the lead. The Saints used a 6-0 run to open up an 11-7 advantage before Manhattan countered with a 5-2 rally to get back within one, 13-12. Siena responded with a 3-0 spurt to open up a four-point cushion, 16-12, but the Jaspers eventually pulled even at 18-18 on a kill by Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.). However, five of the next six points went to Siena, increasing the Saints' lead to 23-19, and Siena took the set by a 25-22 margin.
In the second set, there were eight ties and four lead changes early on. However, a 13-4 Siena run midway through the frame turned a 7-7 deadlock into a 20-11 advantage for the Saints. Manhattan pulled within 22-15, but would get no closer, as Siena hit .500 (18 kills, two errors, 32 attempts) in a 25-16 triumph that gave the Saints a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Jaspers jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the third set before a 9-3 Siena spurt put the Saints in front 10-6. Manhattan rallied to tie the score at 14-14 on a block by Van Dyk and Clare Bozzo (Salinas, Calif.), but Siena claimed the next three points to go back in front. After the Jaspers got within one at 17-16, the Saints ended the match on an 8-3 rally to take the set, 25-19, and earn a 3-0 sweep. With the victory, Siena moved into the MAAC Championship Match for the second time in three seasons.
Malia McGuinness (Kailua, Hawaii) led the Jaspers with 10 kills to go along with 10 digs. Van Dyk, meanwhile, finished with eight kills and a team-high 12 digs, and Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) tallied 11 digs. Jade Gray (Boise, Idaho) handed out 21 assists for Manhattan, which saw its six-match winning streak snapped. As a team, the Jaspers hit .124 (32-17-121) in the match.
Meghann Wright had a double-double for Siena, notching a match-high 13 kills and 10 digs. Rachel Stoklosa added 11 kills, while Sonja Vasovic tallied 10 kills on .368 hitting. Haley Howell distributed 36 assists to go along with seven digs and three blocks. Bobbi Lin Kalama, meanwhile, recorded a match-high 22 digs and four service aces, as the Saints held a 58-45 advantage in digs and a 12-4 edge in aces. Siena hit .246 (43-15-114) as a team.
Manhattan, which lost in the MAAC semifinals for the second straight season, will conclude its season with Saturday's third place match. The Jaspers will take on fourth-seeded Fairfield (18-12) at 11 a.m. in a contest that will be broadcast live on ESPN3.