BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, NY - The Iona College volleyball team topped St. Francis Brooklyn in straight sets at the Genovesi Center. Seniors Catrina Warren and Taylor Cembalisty combined for 22 of the Gaels 37 kills in the win.

Eight lead changes and four tie scores marked the first half of the opening set. The Gaels opened up an 18-13 advantage on a 5-0 run sparked by a Warren kill and back-to-back blocks. Iona led by eight at set point before five straight points by the Terriers. Cembalisty ended the set at 25-21 with a kill.

Iona pulled away from St. Francis in the second set with an 11-3 run to make the score 21-13. Warren converted seven of 11 attack attempts for kills (.636) in the 25-19 set win.

The Maroon & Gold never trailed in the final set and took the match with the 25-16 win.

"Tonight we put all aspects of the game together," said head coach Jon Killingbeck. "We had 8.5 blocks and hit .345. The best part is that the team stayed composed all night."

Warren had her second straight double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs while hitting .318 for the match and adding two blocks and two aces. Cembalisty hit .400 with 11 kills and five blocks. In the middle, senior Shannon Ward and sophomore Karly White combined for 11 kills, hit .391 and eight blocks. White had five kills and a career-best six blocks in the win. Rookie Kassandra Darnaby was 5-for-15 on attack attempts without an error (.333). Junior setter Natalie Ziskin posted a season-high 34 assists. Senior libero Katie Marabella recorded a season-best 14 digs in the win.

St. Francis' Leah Zitting led the home team with 12 kills. Libero Ali Long had 13 digs and setter Kelly O'Halloran posted 23 assists.

The Gaels head north to the SHU Hampton Inn Shelton Invitational this weekend taking on host Sacred Heart and Hartford on Friday before the finale Saturday vs. Rhode Island.