PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College volleyball team had their four-match home winning streak come to an end on Thursday night as the Valiants were defeated by the United States Merchant Marine Academy 3-1. The loss (22-25, 25-20, 17-25, 12-25) moves Manhattanville's record on the season to 7-4 and 1-1 against Skyline Conference opponents.

Alejandra Figuroa led the Manhattanville attack effort with 12 kills, her third time this season reaching double-figure putaways. Meghan Wildes (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) added a season-best eight kills, while Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) rounded out the top offensive performers with six kills of her own. Vital also led the team with three aces, and as she has done all year, got heavily involved in setting up her teammates with 23 assists to lead the Valiants. Vital also had 13 digs to collect her sixth double-double of the campaign.

Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) led the Valiants with 19 digs, her second highest total in a match this year and bringing her count on the season to 159. Caylee Premoli (White Plains, N.Y./School of the Holy Child) also reach double-digits in digs for the first time on the year, racking up 14.

The Valiants and Mariners looked evenly matched across the opening two frames, with USMMA taking the opener 25-22 and Manhattanville responding with a 25-20 win in the second frame. Both teams traded blows in the first set until USMMA was able to put together a string of five straight points to get some breathing room with an 18-14 advantage. The Valiants would claw back and even the score at 22-22, but the Mariners were able to win the serve back and score the final two points to take the set.

Set two followed the same script, but this time the Valiants struck first with the sustained attack. After getting the serve back off a bad set by Brittney Pinzon, Manhattanville earned three straight points started by serves from Vital to pull ahead 13-8, a lead they wouldn't surrender for the set. USMMA would pull to within one, but every time the Mariners pulled to within striking distance, the Valiants responded with a run to ultimately push the match even at a set apiece.

Unfortunately, the Valiants were unable to keep up with the Mariners in the final two frames. Tied at 9-9, the Mariners rattled off four straight points to take the lead. The Valiants would hang around and pull to within two, but USMMA closed out the set with a 5-0 run to take the third, 25-17. Despite giving up the first two points in the fourth, the Mariners scored five straight to firmly swing momentum onto their side and take the decisive set by a 25-12 final.

Up Next
The Valiants head to Newburgh for a Skyline matchup against Mount Saint Mary on Monday for a 7:00 p.m. contest.  
 

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