The Iona College volleyball team improved to 6-4 on the season with victories over La Salle and Hartford in a tri-match hosted by the Explorers this afternoon. The Gaels began with a four-set victory over the host and a three-set sweep of the Hawks.
LA SALLE RECAP
Junior Sarah Wiener led the way offensively with 16 kills in the 27-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-16 win in the opener vs. La Salle. She added six digs and three blocks on the defensive end. Sophomore Rachelle Wilson had her fourth double-digit kill effort with 12 and posted a team-best four blocks.
Sophomore libero Allison Nieters recorded 35 digs, the fourth time she reached the 30+ plateau this season. Classmate Laura Fojanesi bested her career high with 20 digs and had her sixth double-digit effort in the last seven matches. Sophomore setter Alyssa Erickson posted 38 assists and 15 digs, her team-leading third double-double of the season.
Game 1:
The Gaels took an early lead but allowed the Explorers to catch them at 10-10. They did not see another lead until five straight service points from Nieters erased a three point deficit and put Iona ahead 23-21. La Salle caught up at 24-24 but Iona scored three of the next four points to seal the set win. Wilson and Paulus blocked a potential set-tying attack attempt for the final point. Wiener and sophomore Rachel Whitten each had four kills in the set.
Game 2:
The Maroon & Gold led from first serve to final point, opening up a seven point lead at 14-7 on a Wilson Kill. The Explorers could not get any closer than two points and Iona took the set, 25-21.
Game 3:
Iona hit a match-low .050 in the 25-20 set loss. The Explorers took the lead for good on a kill at 5-4. Wiener had four kills and Nieters added seven digs.
Game 4:
The Gaels put the match away while leading for all but one point in the set. The nine-point win marked the largest margin in the frame. The Gaels played tremendous defense, posting 33 digs (19 combined by Nieters and Fojanesi) while holding La Salle to a .000 hitting percentage.
HARTFORD RECAP
The Gaels made easy work of the Hawks, posting set victories of 25-21, 25-15, 25-19. Senior Kendall Paulus led the way with nine kills while Wiener added eight. Wiener also posted eight digs and a season-high four aces. Erickson had her second straight double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs. Nieters posted 14 digs in the win.
Game 1:
The toughest set of the match for the Gaels featured 16 ties and lead changes. The squad took the lead for good at 21-20 and scored four of the final five points in the set to take the win. Paulus posted a team-best four kills and Wiener had three of her four aces in the set.
Game 2:
Much like the La Salle game earlier in the day, the Gaels led from wire-to-wire in the second set. The squad opened up an eight-point lead at 12-4. The Hawks threatened midway through, cutting their deficit to just three points at one point, but Iona held on for the 10-point set win.
Game 3:
The Gaels, again, never trailed but their were five tie scores in the set. Junior Whitney Wright posted two straight kills to give Iona a 12-10 lead an the Gaels never looked back in the 25-19 win.
Iona returns to action next Saturday morning as they open up MAAC play against Loyola at the Hynes Center at 11:00 am.
