GALLOWAY, N.J. – The Manhattanville College women's volleyball team competed at the Stockton Tri-Match on Saturday, splitting the two matches they played. After falling to the host Stockton 3-1 (28-26, 20-25, 25-27, 13-25), the Valiants bounced back to earn a three-set sweep of Hunter (25-21, 25-19, 25-15). Manhattanville ends the weekend 15-5 overall with the split decision.
Match One Recap: Manhattanville 1, Stockton 3
The Valiants took the opening set in a 28-26 thriller, but the host Ospreys were able to rebound to take the next three sets to take the match.
Loren Hernandez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy), looking to build her case for a fifth-straight Skyline Rookie of the Week award, led the team offensively in the match with 13 kills.
Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) and
Hannah Pena (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen) each finished with 11 kills, while
Felicity Hoffert (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) and
Sofia Morales (Tolland, Conn./Tolland) notched eight putaways each.
Defensively,
Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) and
Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) led the team with 18 digs each, while Hernandez added 10. Vital also earned 47 assists in the match.
Due to a technology issue, a full box score for the match versus Stockton is currently unavailable.
Match Two Recap: Manhattanville 3, Hunter 0
Manhattanville shook off the loss to collect their third win of the week in match two, sweeping Hunter.
Hernandez once again led the offensive effort with 14 kills, while Figueroa and
Meghan Wildes (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) both finished with 11. Figueroa would serve as the leader in digs for the match with 13, while Ballagas and Vital dug 10 balls each. Vital would continue to take point as the primary setter with 38 assists, while the senior also served four aces.
Hunter led for much of the early going in set one, scoring four points after Manhattanville fired the opening salvo to go up 4-1. The lead climbed to as high as six with a 15-9 Hunter advantage. A kill by Wildes won the serve back to the Valiants, beginning an 8-0 run for Manhattanville that swung the momentum onto the other side of the court. Now with a 17-15 lead, the Valiants would lead for the rest of the frame. Hunter pulled back within a point twice, but a 4-1 Valiant run to close out the set gave Manhattanville the first set, 25-21.
The Valiants once again played catchup for the first half of set two, as Hunter quickly erased Manhattanville's 3-0 lead. Hunter would hold multiple four-point leads, eventually going ahead 13-9. Much like the opener, a long Valiant run tipped the scales as Manhattanville scored seven straight points to go back in front 16-13. Hunter would not score while in control of the serve for the remainder of the set as the Valiants took a 25-19 win.
Ahead two sets to none, the Valiants were able to take an early lead in the third set and held it throughout the close out the match. After Hunter scored the first point, Manhattanville rattled off four straight to go ahead. Soon after, a 5-0 Valiant run would put Manhattanville go ahead 9-3 to put the team in the driver's seat. Hunter would not get closer than four in the set with Manhattanville's lead swelling up to 12 at one point. Pena closed out the match with a set-ending kill.
Up Next
Yet another four-match week awaits for the Valiants, beginning with a Monday night meeting with Saint Joseph's-Brooklyn at 7 p.m.
VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. #WeAreValiant #GoValiants
