PURCHASE, N.Y. -- The Manhattanville College women's volleyball team suffered a three-set loss (25-20, 25-19, 25-23) to Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom rival Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Wednesday night, Oct. 10, at Kennedy Gymnasium.
The Valiants (7-8, 1-4 MACF) were led by senior hitter
Laura LiVolsi (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville), who notched her third consecutive double-double -- the sixth of the season and 13th of her career -- with a match-best 17 kills and another 11 digs. Junior hitter
Austen Brauer (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) also added eight digs, while freshman setter
Sarah Camarena (Los Angeles, Calif./Sacred Heart (H.S.)) led Manhattanville with 20 assists. The rookie recorded 11 digs as well for the fourth double-double of her career. Sophomore libero
Monica Lopez (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) and freshman hitter
Marisela Flores (Victorville, Calif./Silverado) also notched double digit digs with 15 and 11, respectively.
Manhattanville fell behind early in the first set, trailing 7-1, and was not able to recover during that game. In the second set, the start was a different story as the Valiants and Devils (8-17, 3-2 MACF) went back and fourth for the first half of the game until Manhattanville took a 13-9 advantage. Unfortunately FDU-Florham was able to regain control of play and eventually took the set by six, 25-19.
The third set was the closest of the night as the two squads traded leads nine times. Midway through the set, the Valiants held a 14-13 lead before the Devils went on a 6-1 run to force a Manhattanville timeout. Out of the break, the home squad was pumped up and took the next six points, including two kills by LiVolsi, a pair of service aces from junior middle blocker
Steph Muller (Port Jervis, N.Y./Port Jervis) and a beautiful solo block her fellow middle, rookie
Jasmine Hamel (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe), who had another earlier in the set as well. FDU-Florham, though, went on to win six of the final eight points and came away with the three-set conference win.
Manhattanville will take a break from MAC Freedom play this weekend for a tri-match in Elizabethtown, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 13. The Valiants will first face McDaniel College for a scheduled 1:00 p.m. meeting, followed by a 3:00 p.m. clash with the hosting Elizabethtown College Blue Jays.
