Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Coming off a thrilling five-set triumph over first-place Siena on Saturday, the Manhattan College volleyball team was back in action on Sunday for another crucial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) match against Marist. Unfortunately, though, the Jaspers (16-12, 10-5 MAAC) didn't have the fifth-set magic this time, as the Red Foxes (17-8, 10-4 MAAC) came away with a 25-16, 12-15, 21-25, 25-23, 15-8 victory at Draddy Gymnasium.
Leading two sets-to-one, the Jaspers opened up a 21-12 advantage in the fourth set. Marist countered with a 4-0 run that prompted a Manhattan timeout. Ivana Kostic (Grocka, Serbia) slammed a kill out of the timeout to make it 22-16, but the Red Foxes came charging back. Marist rallied for eight straight points to go up 24-22. Manhattan fought off one set point on a Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) kill before Marist capped off a come-from-behind 25-23 set win that pushed the match into a decisive frame.
Marist carried its momentum into the fifth set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. The Jaspers got back within 6-5 on a Milena Janjusevic (Belgrade, Serbia) service ace before the Red Foxes responded with an 8-1 run to reach match point. Kills by Jessi Skonning (La Grange, Ill.) and Olyvia Chaltas (Temecula, Calif.) kept Manhattan alive, but Marist took the fifth set by a 15-8 count. The Red Foxes didn't commit an attack error in the final stanza, posting a .348 hitting percentage (eight kills, 23 attempts).
“We had a big lead in the fourth set, and we need to regroup,” Head Coach Mark Jones said. “It's unfortunate, but we'll to live and learn. We'll get back to practice and work a lot harder. It'll hurt for a little while, but we need to get back. We have important matches the rest of the season.”
It was all Marist in the first set. The Red Foxes built an early 8-3 cushion, then, after Manhattan pulled within five at 13-8, rattled off four consecutive points to make it 17-8. The Jaspers claimed four of the next five points to trim their deficit to six, 18-12, but Marist countered with a 4-1 spurt to run its advantage back to nine, 22-13, in an eventual 25-16 set win. Marist hit .361 (17-4-36) in the opening set.
In the second set, Manhattan flipped the script. The Jaspers raced out to an 8-3 lead before getting four consecutive kills from Chaltas to run their advantage to 14-6. After Marist scored six straight points to pull within two, 14-12, a block by Chaltas and Marissa Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii) ignited a set-ending 10-0 rally. Van Dyk had three aces during the run, and a Janjusevic kill finished off a 25-12 triumph in a set in which Manhattan hit .297 (14-3-37) as a team.
The Red Foxes scored the first three points of the third set, Manhattan claimed the next four to take the lead. Marist responded by opening up a 16-10 advantage before three straight Manahttan points trimmed the Jaspers' deficit to three, 16-13. The Red Foxes still led, 19-14, when Janjusevic smacked a kill to start a 5-1 run that brought the Jaspers within one, 20-19. After Marist took the next point, Manhattan ended the set on a 6-0 spurt, and the Jaspers took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-21 third-set win.
“Today we didn't take care of business,” Jones said. “We have three more opportunities to do that and finish strong.”
Chaltas slammed 13 kills on .400 hitting and added four blocks for the Jaspers. Kostic hit .417 with 12 kills and four blocks, while Janjusevic had a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs. Jade Gray (Boise, Idaho) tallied 30 assists and nine digs, and Van Dyk served five aces to go along with 18 digs. Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) notched a team-high 22 digs and Alyssa Rehrer (Lorton, Va.) contributed 19 digs. As a team, the Jaspers hit .092 (43-27-173) in the match.
For Marist, Kelsey Lahey had a double-double with 17 kills and 10 digs. She also tallied five aces. Kelsey Ediger finished with nine kills and a match-high 26 digs, while Courtney Shaw also recorded nine kills. Amanda Schlegel, meanwhile, posted 37 assists, 15 digs and four blocks. Lexi Millington registered 25 digs and Melanie Snyder added 10 digs, as the Red Foxes outdug the Jaspers 98-92. Marist hit .127 (51-27-189) as a team.
Manhattan currently sits in fourth place in the MAAC, just a half-game behind Marist, Siena and Rider, who are in a three-way tie for first. The Jaspers have three MAAC matches remaining but first play their final non-conference contest of the year on Wednesday night, when they visit NJIT (6-20) at 7 p.m.