Boxscore

PURCHASE, N.Y. – Freshman Jocelyn Branca (Eastchester, N.Y.) had a team-high 11 kills, including three in the pivotal fifth set, as the Manhattanville women's volleyball team came back from a set down to defeat Brooklyn College, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 13-25, 25-21, 15-13), in a gripping non-conference contest on Wednesday night at Kennedy Gymnasium.

Everyone made a contribution for Manhattanville on the evening, led by double-doubles from Branca (11 kills, 10 digs) and junior Makana Gomes (Honolulu, Hawaii), who registered 31 assists and 23 digs to go with three service aces and six kills. Freshman Susy Camaj (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) also reached double-figures in kills with 11 and added a match-high four service aces to help lead the Valiant comeback.

For the fourth time this season, Manhattanville needed five sets in order to decide a winner, and for the third time in four tries the Valiants came away victorious in the fifth and final frame. The set opened up well for the home team, as Gomes served an ace on three consecutive points to put them up early, but Brooklyn responded with a 10-2 run to seemingly gain control of the set. The Bulldogs were two points from victory, up 13-10, but a big kill by junior Ally Johnson (Branford, Conn.) kickstarted a 5-0 run that gave the home team the set and the match. After three Bulldog attack errors gave the Valiants their first match point, the home team did not waste it as Branca fired a ball into a BC block and watched it sail out of bounds for the match-winner.

The fifth set would not have been necessary if not for a great team effort in the fourth frame, in which the Valiants posted 10 kills and just four errors to force the deciding set. Camaj had a match-high four kills on six attempts in the frame, including recording a point on three of the team's last five points.

The most well-played set of the match came in the opening frame, as both teams hit over .260 and the Valiants outlasted the Bulldogs to take an early lead. Manhattanville recorded an impressive 19 kills in the set, as each player posted at least two each and Johnson had five without an error to lead the team. The Valiants trailed just once in the set at 8-9, but a kill and an ace from junior Maggie Black (Seattle, Wash.) bookended an impressive 6-0 run that gave the home team a lead it would not give up.

Brooklyn played very well in the second and third sets, holding the Valiants to a negative hitting percentage in both frames, to take a 2-1 lead, but the visitors could not put the pesky Manhattanville squad away and suffered the defeat in the process.

For the match, Manhattanville hit .104 thanks to 49 kills and 32 errors, but the home team was also helped out by 13 service aces and 71 digs that helped keep Brooklyn at bay just long enough.

Manhattanville (8-14, 0-6 Freedom) will return to the court on Saturday, as the Valiants take part in the Richard Stockton University Quad-Match, beginning with a 10 a.m. matchup with John Jay College. Brooklyn (11-9, 5-3 CUNYAC) will host Clark University on Friday at 6 p.m.