Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – Junior Susy Camaj (Lagrangeville, N.Y./Millbrook) tied for the match-high with 12 kills and Manhattanville took advantage of a shorthanded FDU-Florham squad that committed 38 errors as the Valiant women's volleyball team started Freedom Conference play with a 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-12) victory on Wednesday evening at Kennedy Gymnasium.
 
Camaj had one of two double-doubles on the evening, adding 16 digs to go with her team-leading 12 kills, and also made just six errors in a match-high 47 attempts. FDU-Florham's Savannah Hickox matched Camaj's stat line for a double-double of her own, posting 12 kills and 16 digs to lead the visitors, who played only six players in their season-opener.
 
Sophomore Alyssa Casino (Rye Brook, N.Y./Maria Regina) had another good game defensively with 21 digs, while sophomore Veronica Ferreiras (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Malverne) recorded a solid line with 12 digs, eight assists, three kills and three service aces. In addition, freshmen Patricia Alfonso (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Puertoriqueno de Ninas) and Carly Conca (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) also made necessary contributions in the win, as Alfonso just missed a double-double with eight kills, 11 digs and a match-high four aces, and Conca led the squad with 14 assists.
 
The first set was the closest of the match from beginning to end, as neither side led by more than four points throughout. The Devils held that four-point edge on two occasions, the last coming at 15-11 before the Valiants rattled off an 8-2 run to take a 19-17 lead on a Hickox service error. FDU bounced back with four straight points to regain the lead, but a kill by sophomore Jillian Chittenden (Rye, N.Y./Rye) and a Devil attack error knotted the score at 22-all. After the teams exchanged service errors, Casino had a big ace to bring up set point and Manhattanville closed it out on an FDU attack error.
 
Manhattanville started the second set strongly by scoring six of the first seven points, but FDU-Florham battled back to tie the score at nine. The set was still tied at 14-all when the visitors went on a 7-2 run to take control of the set and, on their third set point, eventually evened the match on a kill by Hickox.
 
The third set also saw the Valiants jump out to an early 7-1 lead, but this time the home team never let their opponent completely back into the frame. Six straight points on Alfonso's serve that featured two aces and three Camaj kills opened up the biggest lead of the set at 17-8, and the Valiants weathered a 6-0 Devil run late in the frame to take a 2-1 lead thanks to a kill by freshman Mirusha Mujaj (Bronx, N.Y./Yorktown).
 
Up by a set, Manhattanville did not let up in the fourth set, recording 10 kills to just three errors in closing out the match. Six straight points on Ferreiras' serve helped to open up a 14-5 lead midway through the set, and the Valiants were never really threatened as they closed out the win in their conference opener.
 
For the match, Manhattanville had 31 kills, while FDU-Florham started strong but counteracted their 32 kills with 38 attack errors to hit -.039 for the evening. The Valiants were also strong at the net with four blocks, including three (one solo, two assist) from Mujaj.
 
Manhattanville (5-4, 1-0 Freedom) will play three matches on Saturday at the Ramapo Roadrunner Invitational, beginning with a 10 a.m. meeting with Baruch.