CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Manhattanville College put a big scare into DeSales University on Tuesday night, but the Valiants could not capitalize on their chances in dropping a 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-18) decision to the host Bulldogs in Freedom Conference women's volleyball action at Billera Hall.
 
Sophomore Alissa Primavera (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) led Manhattanville (7-8, 1-1 Freedom) with 11 kills, matching DeSales' Logan Wieziolowski and Sienna Heist for the match high. Freshman Kerry Mackey (Smithtown, N.Y./Christ the King) had another good outing with nine kills and a .381 hitting percentage, while junior Allison Regan (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) hit .375 with eight kills on 16 attempts. Senior Amanda Materasso (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) also registered a team-best 14 digs and six kills.
 
The setters had the only two double-doubles of the night, as Valiant sophomore Megan Quinabo (Pearl City, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) recorded 30 assists and 13 digs while the Bulldogs' Lisa Wallitsch picked up a match-high 36 assists and 12 digs.
 
After DeSales (12-3, 2-0 Freedom) jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the opening set, Manhattanville showed that they were ready to battle by taking 11 of the next 13 points to open up a 14-9 lead. The Valiants continued to maintain their advantage, holding a 22-19 lead on a Primavera kill. The Bulldogs took the next four points to open up a 23-22 lead, and the set was tied at 23 and 24 before another Primavera kill gave the visitors a set point at 25-24. But the team could not convert, as two DSU kills and a disputed out-of-rotation call helped the home team escape.
 
Manhattanville hung around the entire second set, but the Valiants could never fully get back to even after a 5-1 run turned a 5-5 score into a 10-6 DeSales lead. The visitors whittled the lead down to one on five separate occasions, the last of which came at 22-21 after a Bulldog ball-handling error. However, the Valiants could not get the elusive set-tying point, as two attack errors and a bad set handed DeSales the middle frame and a 2-0 lead.
 
In the third set, five straight DeSales points put the home team ahead by a 5-3 score, and once again the Valiants could never get themselves back in front. Manhattanville tied the score five times, the last coming on a DSU attack error that evened the score at 12. DeSales closed the match on a 13-6 run, however, to complete the sweep.
 
Manhattanville will look to get back on the winning track on Saturday, when the Valiants host Mount St. Mary and York (N.Y.) for the second Valiant Tri-Match of the year. The Valiants start the day at 11 a.m. against the Knights and then close the afternoon at 3 p.m. versus the Cardinals.