Box Score Boxscore
PURCHASE, N.Y. – Manhattanville's four seniors combined for 41 of the team's 47 kills on Senior Day as the Valiants completed their 2011 home schedule with a 3-0 (25-23, 29-27, 25-14) victory over Bard in a non-conference matchup on Saturday afternoon at Kennedy Gym.
In a day dedicated to the seniors, Manhattanville's four graduating players posted the four highest kill totals of the day for the home team. Damaris Morales (Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic/Colegio San Jose) led all players with a season-high 14 kills, and did so with just two errors for a match-high .387 hitting percentage. Ally Johnson (Branford, Conn./Branford) followed with a season-high 12 kills, and continuing the senior trend Makana Gomes (Honolulu, Hawaii/'Iolani) added eight and Maggie Black (Seattle, Wash./The Center School) put down seven as well for the Valiants.
Morales added a match-high 19 digs for her second double-double of the year, while Johnson added 11 digs to complete her fourth double-double of the season. Gomes chipped in 12 assists and 12 digs for a double-double of her own and just missing a triple-double.
A pair of freshmen also chipped in for the Valiants, as Veronica Ferreiras (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Malverne) added a match-high 26 assists to move into 10th on the single-season list, while Sam Delmer (Boise, Idaho/Eagle) added 18 more digs to her season total that still ranks second all-time at the school.
Manhattanville needed a late comeback to steal the first game from the Raptors, as Bard held a 20-17 lead after a Gomes service error. The Valiants were still down two at 23-21 before a Johnson kill and a Ferreiras service ace knotted the score, and Johnson then came back with back-to-back kills off Ferreiras assists to close out the frame.
The middle set looked to be easy for the home team up by eight at 21-13, but seven straight points by Bard got the visitors back in it. Manhattanville then wasted three set points as the Raptors tied the score at 24, and the teams alternated points until the Valiants finally capitalized on their eighth set point of the frame to win it on a Morales kill, Manhattanville's 19th kill of the frame.
The third set finally offered the Valiants a little breathing room, as the Valiants hit .250 as a team and posted 12 kills with just four aces to complete the sweep.
Manhattanville (15-12), which assures itself its first .500 season since 2001 with the win, will complete Freedom Conference play on Wednesday night at Misericordia at 7 p.m. Bard (3-23) takes on Saint Joseph on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
