PURCHASE, N.Y. – Fresh off a hard-fought five-set victory late last week, the Manhattanville College women's volleyball team picked up a quick three-set sweep tonight, Monday, Oct. 21, on the road at Skyline Conference foe Purchase College, winning the Battle for Anderson Hill Road for the 12th time in as many meetings, though it was the first since 2014. The Valiants remain atop the conference standings with an unblemished Skyline record as they prepare to face the defending champions next.
Manhattanville (19-5, 8-0 Skyline) allowed the Panthers (4-16, 1-9 Skyline) to score just 16 points all night long and dispatched the hosts 25-4, 25-5, 25-7. Sophomore middle blocker
Emma Dronzek (Yonkers, N.Y./Sacred Heart) had a strong night, posting the second-highest kill total of her career to lead all players with 10 on 18 swings with just one error (.500) and a dig.
Outside hitters sophomore
Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) and senior
Austen Brauer (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) combined for another 17 kills. The former finished with nine kills and two errors on 19 swings (.368) to go with three digs, one assist and a match-high three aces. Brauer – the two-time reigning Skyline Player of the Week – chipped in eight kills on 13 error-less swings (.615) as well. Rookie middle hitter
Hannah Pena (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen) also contributed with four kills and an error on seven swings (.429) and a dig. As a team, the Valiants hit an efficient .441, while they forced Purchase into 20 hitting errors and a -.206 hitting percentage.
Although not a double-double, freshman setter
Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) – a four-time conference Rookie of the Week – led all players with 31 assists and chipped in four digs and an ace. She has now had at least 30 assists on 10 occasions this season.
Record Watch:
- Vital now has 708 assists on the season to pass current assistant coach and former standout Valiant setter Megan Quinabo's sophomore season total of 700 for fifth on the single-season record list. She needs 123 the rest of the way to take over the top spot with 831. She also currently sits ninth on the all-time assists list at Manhattanville and can likely move up to eighth by season's end.
- Brauer now has 308 kills this season, which ties her for the second-highest total in a single season. She needs just 75 more kills for the remainder of the season to earn the top spot with 383. Her current season hitting percentage of .301 also ranks seventh on the single-season record list.
The Crimson and White return to the court for road conference play at defending Skyline Champion College of Mount Saint Vincent Wednesday night, Oct. 23, at 7:00 p.m. in Riverdale, N.Y. The Dolphins only loss in conference play was in four sets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, who the Valiants defeated at home in five earlier this month. Manhattanville leads CMSV 15-4 all-time, but the two programs have not met since 2007.
