PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's volleyball team wrapped up the regular season on Wednesday night, defeating SUNY Purchase in three sets. The Valiants clinch the No. 4 seed for next week's Skyline Conference Championship Tournament with an 8-3 record in conference play, hosting fifth-seeded Mount Saint Mary on Tuesday for the tourney's opening round.
Caylin Caballero's (Eastvale, Calif./Walnut) 10 kill, 11 dig double-double paced the Valiants, leading Manhattanville in both categories. Her offensive effort was complimented by eight kills from
Samantha Andriola (Garden City South, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) and seven from
Cassidy Fallon (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster), while
Aurea Obradors (Barcelona, Spain/Benjamin Franklin International School) added five in her two sets of work.
Defensively,
Alana Rivera Torres (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista de Guaynabo) finished behind Caballero with nine digs, while
Izzy Mojica (Tolland, Conn./The Woodstock Academy) added seven in her three sets as libero. Rivera Torres also handled a majority of the setting responsibilities with 25 of the Valiants' 31 assists.
Fallon continued to dominate at the net with another eight blocks. Her two solo efforts matched her season-high, while the six block assists were her second-most in a match this season.
Caballero also shined on the service line with five aces to set a new career-high. Andriola also found success with her serves, adding four aces.
The latest installment of the Battle of Anderson Hill Road opened with the Valiants firmly in control, swinging .500. After trading the opening two points, Manhattanville rattled off four straight to take a lead that held the rest of the way, getting kills from Andriola and Obradors along with Caballero's first ace. The Valiants blew the doors open with a nine-point run soon after, fueled by Andriola's four aces, to go up 18-4. Manhattanville closed on another run, winning the last five points as Caballero served three aces to pilot the 25-9 win.
Despite the Panthers hitting -.100 in the second, the Valiants could not take advantage by pulling away as quickly as they did in the set prior. Purchase had the upper hand early with a 5-3 lead before the Valiants scored three straight, the last two points coming off a pair of rejections at the net. The home side got some breathing room with a 6-1 run to go up 12-7. Purchase got back within a pair on three separate occasions before Manhattanville scored four straight to move the score to 22-16 after kills from Fallon and
Baudilette Lasanta (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Academia del Perpetuo Socorro). Purchase could not mount the response needed to prolong things as Andriola delivered the set-winning kill at 25-19.
Purchase continued to make the Valiants work in the third, the closest set of the night. A 5-0 run had the Valiants up 7-3 before the Panthers responded with the next three. Manhattanville remained in front until 12-10 when Purchase rattled off five straight to take the lead. The Panthers nursed the lead up to 21-19, when Caballero and Obradors delivered back-to-back kills to tie the score once again. Purchase retook the lead with the next point, but a Caballero kill regained the serve for the Valiants, where Obradors logged three-straight kills to cap off the 25-22 win.
Up Next
Manhattanville will host No. 5 Mount Saint Mary on Tuesday night for the first round matchup of the Skyline Conference Championship. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads and YouTube. #WeAreValiant #GoValiants
