NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Wrapping up a four match week, the Manhattanville College women's volleyball team split their two outings at Saturday's New Paltz Tri-Match. The Valiants swept Suffolk 3-0 in the opener before falling to host New Paltz 1-3. With the 1-1 Saturday, the Valiants move to 12-4 on the year.

Match One Recap: Manhattanville 3, Suffolk 0 (25-9, 25-22, 25-15)
Hitting .245 in the opener, the Valiants notched a three set sweep over Suffolk to begin Saturday's action.

Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) had a season-high 20 digs in the win to lead the team while also being Manhattanville's leading setter with 29 assists. Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) finished second in both categories with 16 digs and five assists.

Offensively, Felicity Hoffert's (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) 13 kills led the way against the Rams. Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) added eight putaways, while Hannah Pena (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen) recorded five. Figueroa also had a career-high seven service aces, while Meghan Wildes (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) recorded three blocks.

The Rams scored the match's first point before the Valiants erupted for an 11-0 run to jump into the driver's seat for the opening set. While the Rams were able to make it a game again with a 6-0 run to cut Manhattanville's lead down to 13-8, the Valiants used another long run, this time of ten straight points, to pull away once again. Ahead 23-8, Manhattanville scored two of the final three points to quickly take the first set.

While things seemed poised to play out similarly in the second set with Manhattanville opening with an 8-3 lead, Suffolk was able to overcome this deficit to tie the frame at 10-10. From there, the Rams would claim the lead at 17-15. Manhattanville used a key five-point run to retake the lead at 20-17 and successfully protected it the rest of the way. The Rams did pull back to within one but were unable to close the gap this time around as the Valiants took the point, 25-22.

After trading points back and forth up to a 6-6 stalemate, the Valiants were able to get some separation in the third set with an 8-1 run. The lead would climb up to eight before Suffolk responded with a 6-2 run to make Manhattanville's lead 18-14. After trading points, Manhattanville closed out the contest with six straight points off a Figueroa kill and five straight serves by Katelyn Kamei (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Andrew's Schools - The Priory), giving the Valiants the 25-15 win.

Match Two Recap: Manhattanville 1, New Paltz 3 (25-19, 21-25, 17-25, 16-25)
Figueroa took charge in the attack effort for the Valiants' second outing of the day with 13 kills. Pena and Loren Hernandez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/American Military Academy) would both end the match against New Paltz with nine putaways.

Vital had yet another double-double with 36 assists and 13 digs, finishing third on the team in the defensive category. Ballagas led the way with 25 digs, while Hernandez had 16. The back-to-back-to-back Skyline Rookie of the Week also added four service aces, while Hoffert served three aces of her own alongside three blocks.

The Valiants would take the first point after fight their way back from an early deficit. The Hawks built out a 7-3 lead to begin the match before Manhattanville pulled even with four straight points. The teams traded blows up to a 10-10 tie before three straight points by the Valiants put Manhattanville ahead for the remainder of the frame. New Paltz pulled back to within one twice, but five straight points by the Valiants to go ahead 20-14 gave Manhattanville enough momentum to close out the frame, 25-19.

That would be the last set Manhattanville would take on the day, as New Paltz won the next three frames to claim the match.  The Valiants would go ahead in set two 11-8, but the Hawks would rattle off five straight points to go ahead. The score would even once more at 19-19 before New Paltz scored twice to go ahead for good en route to a 25-21 win.

Manhattanville was able to hang with the Hawks for the start of set three, but an 8-1 New Paltz run gave the Hawks up. The Valiants were able to fight back to within three before New Paltz was able to pull back away to go ahead 2-1 with a 25-17 win. A 5-1 start for the Hawks in the fourth set the tone in what would be the final frame as the Valiants would be unable to overcome the early hole as New Paltz took the set with a 25-16 final.

Up Next
The Valiants begin another four match week on Tuesday, hosting Purchase College at 7 p.m.

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