BOSTON, MASS. – On the road for the first time in the young season, the Manhattanville college women's volleyball team split a trimatch at Emerson College on Sunday afternoon. After picking up a 3-0 sweep against Simmons University on a neutral court, the Valiants were defeated by the host Emerson Lions, 3-1. The split moves Manhattanville's record on the season to 2-1.
Match One Recap: Manhattanville 3, Simmons 0
The Valiants picked up their second-consecutive sweep to open up the year in the opener, defeating Simmons in three sets, 25-20, 25-14, 25-19.
Felicity Hoffert (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) led the offensive effort with 10 kills, while
Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) added nine.
Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) collected 27 assists and earned 12 digs.
Grace Ballagas (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Robinson School) and
Ayla Ruiz (Honolulu, Hawaii/St. Andrew's Schools) matched Vital's defensive effort in the win, posting 12 digs apiece as well. Vital and Ruiz both had three service aces in the victory.
In a back-and-forth opening frame, the Valiants and Sharks battled to 10 different tied scores. After trading blows throughout the set, Simmons would eventually claim their biggest lead of the opener at 19-15. Despite the deficit, the Valiants would battle back to tie the score late before ending the set on a 5-0 run to take the first point.
Simmons had the upper hand early in the second set, opening with a 5-1 lead, but the Valiants were quick to respond with a 10-2 run to go ahead 11-7 with a lead they would not relinquish. Manhattanville continued to expand on the advantage, hitting .303 in the set to push their advantage to 2-0.
The third set played out in a similar fashion, as an early Simmons lead was unable to withstand a furious Manhattanville rally to tie the set up late. After pulling to even at 16-16, Manhattanville went on a 9-3 run to close out the set and pick up the win.
Match Two Recap: Manhattanville 1, Emerson 3
The Valiants kept momentum rolling into the backend of the doubleheader, winning their seventh straight set to open up the season, but a grueling second set right off the heels of the previous match had lasting effects as the Lions took three straight to win the contest in four, 21-25, 30-28, 25-13, 25-15.
Figueroa had a fantastic match all over the court, leading the team with 19 kills while adding 11 digs defensively. The kill total matches the graduate student's season-high from a year ago. Hoffert reaching double figures for the second time on the day with 11 putaways. Vital earned 42 assists and 15 digs for her third consecutive double-double to open up the campaign, while Ballagas had 21 digs to lead the team.
Much like the opener against Simmons, set one versus Emerson was a tightly fought contest that saw 12 different tied scores. Emerson's 7-4 lead was the largest advantage either team would hold until the tailend of the opener, where the Valiants scored five straight points after trailing 21-20 to take the first point.
If the first set wasn't exciting enough, neither team gave an inch in the second as it took 30 points to finally determine a winner. Despite a 6-0 run to go ahead 11-8, the Valiants were unable to protect the narrow lead as Emerson continued to claw back, eventually tying the set at 15-15. From there, it was another 11 tied scores before Emerson was finally able to pull ahead by two to take the set, 30-28.
Fatigue seemed to finally set in for Manhattanville after leaving it all on the court in the second set, as the rested Lions were able to run away with victories in the ensuing two sets, 25-13 and 25-15, to hand the Valiants their first loss of the season.
Up Next
The Valiants head to New Jersey on Thursday for the first of three straight matches in the Garden State. Manhattanville takes on William Paterson at 7 p.m.
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