Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Perhaps the Manhattan College volleyball team should make "Lee National Denim Day" more than just an annual event. For the second straight season, the Lady Jaspers celebrated breast cancer awareness during their home match against Loyola, and this year's script was remarkably similar to last year's. After the Greyhounds (8-14, 2-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to send the match into the fifth set, Manhattan (10-10, 4-4 MAAC) didn't commit an attack error in the final frame to claim a 25-22, 25-19, 18-25, 23-25, 15-12 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium. It was the Lady Jaspers' third straight win and improved Manhattan to 3-0 all-time on National Denim Day.
"Breast cancer awareness is a great cause, and we're all touched by it," Head Coach Mark Jones said. "I'm just glad we're able to do our part on a special day like today. We're very excited that we had this opportunity, and it's been lucky for us too. We're supporting a cause and we're 3-0."
In the first set, Manhattan used a 4-0 run to turn a 5-5 tie into a 9-5 lead, but Loyola rallied for four of the next five points to make it 10-9. The Lady Jaspers went on a 7-2 run that extended their lead to 17-11 before Loyola got back within three, 20-17. However, that's as close as the Greyhounds would get in the set. A kill by Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) brought the Lady Jaspers to set point at 24-20, and Diane Strutner (San Jose, Calif.) pounded one down to cap a 25-22 victory that put Manhattan ahead 1-0 in the best-of-five.
After the Greyhounds took an early 7-4 lead in the second set, a 7-1 Manhattan run gave the Lady Jaspers an 11-8 lead, which was cemented on a block by Collareta and Brittany DeGagne (Penticton, B.C.). Loyola responded with a 7-2 rally to go back in front, 15-13. The back-and-forth play continued, as Manhattan won the next four points to regain the lead, 17-15. A Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) kill pushed the margin to four, 21-17, and back-to-back kills from DeGagne wrapped up the set, 25-19. Manhattan hit an outstanding .381 in the second set, slamming 19 kills and committing just three errors in 42 attempts.
Manhattan opened up a 9-6 lead early in the third set, and the Lady Jaspers led 11-8 before an 11-2 Loyola run gave the Greyhounds a 19-13 advantage. Loyola won the set by a 25-18 margin to extend the match. The Greyhounds hit an impressive .323 (14-4-31) to the Lady Jaspers' -.025 (9-10-40) in the third set.
The fourth set featured seven ties and three lead changes. Loyola raced out to a 7-2 lead before Manhattan went on a 7-2 rally of its own to tie the score at 9-9. The sides traded points until the Greyhounds used a 5-1 run to turn a 14-14 tie into a 19-15 Loyola advantage. After the Greyhounds pushed their lead to 21-17, the Lady Jaspers responded with a 6-1 run to get within two points of clinching the match. However, a kill by Nina Camaioni tied it at 23-23, and Loyola won the next two points to take the set, 25-23, and extend the match into a decisive frame.
The Lady Jaspers jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the final set, prompting a Loyola timeout. Manhattan kept the pressure on, though, and extended its advantage to 11-4 on a service ace by Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.). The Lady Jaspers got to match point when Huntoon's kill made it 14-7. However, Loyola rallied for the next five points to get within two, 14-12, before a kill by Collareta capped a 15-12 set win that gave the match to Manhattan, 3-2. Manhattan hit .241 in the fifth set, pounding seven kills on 29 errorless swings.
"In the fifth set, we got a good lead and we kept it," Jones said. "That gave us a lot of confidence. At the end it got a little close, but we were able to pull it out when it mattered the most."
Three different Lady Jaspers reached double-figures in the kills column, led by Strutner's 18 kills. Strutner added 13 digs to complete her third consecutive double-double. Alexa Lampasona (Remensburg, N.Y.) tallied a career-high 15 kills on .300 hitting to go along with four blocks, while Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) notched 10 kills. Huntoon just missed a double-double with nine kills and nine digs, while DeGagne had seven kills and hit .429. She also recorded four blocks. Collareta handed out 49 assists and collected 14 digs. She also had six kills and hit .400 on 15 errorless swings. Bies posted a team-high 18 digs, while Nikki Chamberlin (San Diego, Calif.) added 16 digs and Aurore Kullak (Beloeil, Belgium) registered 10 digs, as the Lady Jaspers outdug the Greyhounds 88-85. Overall, Manhattan hit .185 (66-29-200) in the match.
Camaioni, the MAAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year, notched match-highs with 20 kills and 26 digs. Nicole Sarby added 16 kills on .306 hitting to go along with four blocks, while Katie Dircks had nine kills. Aubrey Kirven posted a double-double with 52 assists and 14 digs, and Brittany Born recorded 16 digs. Jac Bullock contributed 11 blocks, as the Greyhounds outblocked the Lady Jaspers 14-9. Loyola hit .175 (60-28-183) as a team.
Manhattan continues its three-match homestand with a pair of MAAC matches next weekend. On Saturday, the Lady Jaspers face Marist (10-10, 5-3 MAAC) for the first time this season when the Red Foxes visit Draddy Gymnasium at 2 p.m. Manhattan then hosts first-place Iona (12-6, 6-2 MAAC) at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers or visit Manhattan's Facebook fan page.
