PURCHASE, N.Y. – Montclair State University recorded 52 kills and hit .298 as a team to spoil Senior Day and deal the Manhattanville College women's volleyball team a 3-1 (25-13, 25-10, 20-25, 25-16) defeat in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Kennedy Gymnasium.
Manhattanville (13-14) honored its four graduating seniors before the contest, as
Alyssa Casino (Rye Brook, N.Y./Maria Regina),
Veronica Ferreiras (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Malverne),
Jennifer Gudiel (Yonkers, N.Y./Riverside) and
Amanda Materasso (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) played their final collegiate matches on the home court.
Casino led the Valiants defensively with 17 digs, while sophomore
Alissa Primavera (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) paced the squad offensively with 10 kills and no errors (.345 hitting). Freshman
Kerry Mackey (Smithtown, N.Y./Christ the King) added eight kills and sophomore
Megan Quinabo (Pearl City, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) chipped in a double-double of 22 assists and 12 digs.
Hayley Merrill led Montclair State (21-7) with a match-high 13 kills, followed by Melissa Terpstra with eight kills and a match-best 20 digs. Lily Scanzillo also chipped in 17 digs and seven of the Red Hawks' 21 service aces as well.
Manhattanville held a 6-4 lead early in the first set following a Quinabo kill, but a 12-1 run quickly put Montclair back in front. After four straight Valiant points made it a 16-11 score, the Red Hawks closed with nine of the next 11 points to take a one-set lead. The visitors then excelled offensively in the second set, posting 16 kills and one error on 28 attacks to take a 2-0 lead.
Manhattanville did not go quietly after that, however, putting together a solid third set to extend the match. The Valiants scored five of the first seven points thanks to a pair of Materasso aces, and the team never relinquished that advantage. Two Primavera kills and one from freshman
Aly Pappalardo (Mahopac, N.Y./Lakeland) helped the Valiants turn a tenuous 16-15 lead into 21-15 edge that the team maintained to stay alive.
The fourth set was filled with back-and-forth action, with the Valiants again hanging with the Red Hawks. A bad set gave Manhattanville its last lead at 15-14 before an error allowed Terpstra to toe the service line, and she followed with nine straight points on her serve that essentially closed out the match.
Manhattanville still has one very important match left on its schedule, as the Valiants will travel to Wilkes University on Wednesday with a spot in the Freedom Conference Tournament on the line. A win for the Valiants would clinch the program's first-ever Freedom Tournament berth, while a loss would eliminate the team from postseason contention.
