Manhattan University Athletics

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – On Saturday afternoon, the Manhattan College volleyball team continued its four-match Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) road trip with a visit to Niagara.  And, after dropping the first set, the Jaspers (14-10, 8-3 MAAC) picked up an important victory, knocking off the Purple Eagles (7-13, 4-6 MAAC) 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 28-26 at the Gallagher Center to move within one loss of first-place Rider, which fell at Siena, in the MAAC standings.

Just like when the teams met in Riverdale on Sept. 27, Niagara started off strong and won the first set.  The Purple Eagles scored four of the first five points before Manhattan rallied to go up 15-12.  However, Niagara responded with a 10-3 run to regain the lead, 22-18.  The Jaspers got within two at 23-21, but the Purple Eagles took the frame by a 25-22 count.

After the Jaspers built an early 6-2 advantage in the second set, the Purple Eagles rattled off five straight points to pull in front, 7-6.  Manhattan countered with 13 of the next 18 points, though, opening up a 19-12 cushion on a kill by Marissa Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii).  The Jaspers held on for a 25-19 set win that evened the match at one set apiece.

In the third set, Manhattan raced out to an 8-4 lead before Niagara used an 11-5 spurt to take a 15-13 advantage.  The Jaspers evened the score at 16-16 on a kill by Ivana Kostic (Grocka, Serbia), then went up 17-16 on an Alyssa Rehrer (Lorton, Va.) service ace.  After Niagara claimed the next point, Manhattan got a kill from Milena Janjusevic (Belgrade, Serbia) and two from Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) to pull in front 20-17.  A Behrens kill brought the Jaspers to set point at 24-21, and Janjusevic followed with a kill to finish off a 25-21 set win.

The fourth set featured 11 ties and eight lead changes.  Manhattan opened up a 6-1 advantage, but Niagara stormed all the way back to go up 12-11.  The Jaspers went back in front, 17-16, on a Janjusevic ace before the Purple Eagles went on a 6-2 spurt to regain the lead, 22-19.  It was then Manhattan's turn to rally, as a Kostic kill capped a 5-1 run that brought the Jaspers to match point at 24-23.  After fighting off a pair of set points at 25-24 and 26-25, Manhattan earned another match point opportunity when Kostic and Jade Gray (Boise, Idaho) teamed up for a block to make it 27-26.  And this time, the Jaspers converted.  With a 28-26 triumph in the fourth set, Manhattan wrapped up a 3-1 victory, its ninth straight win over Niagara.

Van Dyk and Janjusevic each had a double-double for the Jaspers.  Van Dyk finished with 14 kills and 21 digs, while Janjusevic tallied 13 kills and 17 digs.  Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.), meanwhile, smacked 10 kills and committed just one error in 19 attempts, hitting .474 in the victory.  She also contributed three blocks.  Kostic and Behrens notched five blocks apiece, as the Jaspers outblocked the Purple Eagles 10-7.  Gray handed out 44 assists and Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) secured 17 digs for Manhattan, which hit .209 (50-18-153) as a team.

Nicole Matheis led the Purple Eagles with a match-high 17 kills, and she added 14 digs.  Rayenne Hale also had a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs, while Alexis Gray finished with 42 assists, 15 digs and four aces.  Rylee Hunt tallied 20 digs, as Niagara outdug Manhattan 75-73.  As a team, the Purple Eagles hit .152 (52-27-165) in the match.