NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College volleyball team completed a perfect MAAC weekend with a three-set sweep of Saint Peter's in conference action at the Hynes Center.  The Gaels (8-4, 2-0 MAAC) took the match from the Peahens (5-8, 1-1 MAAC) 25-18, 28-26, 25-19.  The Maroon & Gold took all six sets in MAAC play this weekend.

Rookie Rachelle Wilson led the Gaels with 13 kills and a .406 hitting percentage in the three sets.  It was her fifth double-digit kill effort of the season.  She also matched her teammate, junior Sarah Wiener with five blocks on the afternoon.   Wiener had 11 kills and 14 digs for her second double-double of the year.   Sophomore S Alyssa Erickson also had a double-double - her team-leading fifth of the season - with 36 assists and 15 digs to match her season-high.   Erickson had her top performance of the year running the offense, averaging 12.0 assists per set.

In addition to Wiener and Erickson helping to set the tone on the offensive end, sophomore Allison Nieters had a team-high 25 digs (8.3/set) and classmate Laura Fojanesi had nine.  Nieters, Fojanesi and freshman Nicole Tamburri led a stingy serve receive that allowed just two aces in the contest.  The trio was perfect in 29 receptions.

Set 1:
Sarah Wiener's kill that made the score 13-12 gave Iona the lead for good as the set featured seven tie scores and four lead changes up to that point.  The Gaels earned five of the next six points to take a 18-13 lead and never looked back.  Senior OH Kendall Paulus led the way with five kills and Wilson added four in the 25-18 set win.

Set 2:
Wiener and Wilson carried the Gaels offensively, combining for 10 of the team's 15 kills and 3.5 of its four blocks.  Wiener also had six digs in the hard-fought 28-26 win.  The Gaels erased a 23-19 deficit and tied the score at 24 en route to the win.

Set 3:
The Gaels scored the set's first four points and never looked back in the 25-19 win. Wilson had five kills and Nieters posted 11 digs in the victory.

Iona begins a four-game road trip with a non-conference tune-up at Quinnpiac on Wednesday evening.   The Maroon & Gold faces a true test in the MAAC conference next weekend when they take on preseason favorite Siena and No. 2 Fairfield on the road.