NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's volleyball team got back into the win column Thursday night with a three-setter victory over CCNY. The Valiants improve to 3-5 to head into the start of conference play next week.
It was all Manhattanville to open the night with the Valiants setting the tone early with the first three points on kills from
Alana Rivera Torres (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo) and
Ava Callaghan (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) alongside a Beaver attack error. The Valiants led by as many as six in the early stages, continuing to lead at 11-6. CCNY erased the deficit with five straight points, the first of six tied scores of the opening frame. The Beavers had a response to every Valiant point as the score climbed to 17-17, where a pair of errors by the home team spotted Manhattanville a two-point advantage. That would be just enough for the Valiants, never relinquishing the lead over the rest of the frame before
Amelia Morrison (Avon, Conn./Avon) provided the set-deciding kill at 25-23.
After holding off the Beaver comeback in the first, the Valiant hitters erupted for a .462 attack percentage to make quick work of the second. Manhattanville scored the first seven points of the set, with Callaghan providing a pair of kills. CCNY was held to a set-long run of just three points, while the Valiants fully pulled away with another 7-0 run to make the score 20-6. The latter run saw a kill each from Callaghan,
Caylin Caballero (Eastvale, Calif./Walnut) and
Samantha Andriola (Garden City South, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy). Caballero soon after delivered the clincher, putting the Valiants up two sets with a 25-12 decision.
Tied 3-3 to begin the third, a kill from
Aurea Obradors (Barcelona, Spain/Benjamin Franklin International School) and back-to-back aces by
Cassidy Fallon (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) put Manhattanville permanently in front. The Valiants added four more three-point bursts throughout play as the Beavers were unable to make up the ground. Callaghan delivered the match-winner at 25-19 with her 10
th kill of the night.
Callaghan earned her second double-double of her rookie season, adding a team-high 13 digs to go along with her attack effort. The freshman swung .259 on the night, her second-highest total of her young career.
Caballero led all attackers with 11 kills, her fifth time in seven matches she's reached double figures. The sophomore also had seven digs.
Rivera Torres supplied 19 assists, tying her second-highest total this season.
Eva Becerra (West Covina, Calif./Walnut) was also heavily featured with 10 helpers, her third time this season reaching double digits.
Kayla Jennings' (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) strong defensive campaign continued with another 12 digs on Thursday, bringing her career total to 1,035. She passes Monica Lopez in the program record book for the tenth-most in Valiant history.
Up Next
The Valiants open Skyline Conference action on Wednesday against Saint Joseph's Brooklyn at 6 p.m.
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