PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's volleyball celebrated Senior Night inside Kennedy Gymnasium on Friday night, earning a three-set sweep of Old Westbury. The Valiants improve to 8-9 overall with the win and now stand 5-2 in Skyline Conference play.
Prior to opening serve, the team celebrated its graduating senior class of
Sofia Napolitano (Bronx, N.Y./Preston),
Alana Rivera Torres (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo),
Aurea Obradors (Barcelona, Spain/Benjamin Franklin International School) and
Kayla Jennings (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland). The four had immeasurable impacts as part of the Manhattanville women's volleyball dynasty in the Skyline Conference, winning the conference title each of their seasons with the team as part of the program's four-peat dating back to 2022.
Obradors featured as one of the Valiants' leading attackers in the win, compiling ten kills along with a pair of digs and a block. It was Obradors' second time in double figures this season behind her 11-kill effort against Mount Saint Mary on Oct. 13.
Caylin Caballero (Eastvale, Calif./Walnut) led all players with 11 kills, the sophomore's ninth time reaching double digits this year. Freshman
Monika Gojcaj (Brewster, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) also heavily featured, ending the night with a season-high six kills.
Rivera Torres took point as setter, finishing with 30 of the team's 35 assists. The Puerto Rico native added seven digs and six aces, leading the Valiants in both categories as well.
Jennings dug out five balls and added a pair of assists with an ace.
Samantha Andriola (Garden City South, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) added a pair of aces at the service line.
Manhattanville had its best hitting performance of the season with a .318 attack percentage, opening the night with a .500 clip in the opening set. The Valiants committed just one error in the first frame to ten kills. After six tied scores in the early going, Manhattanville took over with an 11-point run to blow the set open at 18-8. The run featured a pair of Rivera Torres aces, two kills from Obradors, one from Caballero and six total errors by the Panthers. Manhattanville secured the point with four- and three-point runs to win 25-11.
The Valiants took a 7-4 lead to begin set two before the Panthers rattled off six-straight points to take a 10-7 advantage. Manhattanville played from behind, tying the score up three times. A Valiant service error put Old Westbury in front again at 18-17, but the Valiants responded with an 8-1 run to complete the comeback and take the set, 25-19. Manhattanville secured the win with a five-point run, getting a pair of kills from Caballero, a Rivera Torres ace, a dual block from Caballero and Gojcaj, and a set-winning putaway from Obradors.
Old Westbury scored the opening point of set three before the Valiants scored the next six, thanks to three more aces from Rivera Torres. Manhattanville built up a 17-7 advantage before the Panthers were able to go on a four-point run. It only halted the Valiants momentarily, with the home side responding with the next three points to pull ahead 20-11. The Panthers were able to pull closer but the scoreboard was not in their favor as
Cassidy Fallon (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) delivered the match-winner with her fourth kill of the night to complete the sweep with a 25-18 decision.
Up Next
The Valiants will host the Skyline's last undefeated team on Tuesday night, looking to hand Sarah Lawrence its first conference loss at 6 p.m.
