NEW ROCHELLE, NY - For the second straight day, the Iona College volleyball team went to five sets with a MAAC team from Connecticut with this occasion turning into a 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 15-8) win for the Gaels (3-9, 1-1 MAAC) against Quinnipiac in front of the Hynes Center crowd. 

In the winning effort, junior Claire Archibald recorded a career-high in kills with 26 throughout the five sets behind a .327 hitting percentage to go along with 20 digs. Freshman Jamie Smith added 16 assists and 12 kills while Tess Connolly joined the two in double-digit kills with 10 in addition to eight digs. Emma Rose paced the offense with 35 assists while also adding 12 digs defensively. Mia Bonsignore was a force at the net with eight total blocks (two solo, six assisted) as the Maroon & Gold totaled 14.0 team blocks.

Jen Coffey joined Archibald in the 20 kill category by registering exactly 20 for the Bobcats (2-13, 1-1 MAAC). Elizabeth Kloos and Kat Miller respectively netted 12 and 10 kills while Miller added 16 digs. Libero Alejandra Rodriguez match Archibald for the match-high of 20 digs. 

Each team put forth small runs throughout the first set, first Iona followed by Quinnipiac resulting in a 22-19 lead for the Bobcats late in the first set. The late spurt helped Quinnipiac capture the first set victory that concluded on a block from Coffey and Gabby Horman. Coffey posted eight of her kills in the set, one more than Archibald as the two went toe-to-toe to start. Rodriguez and Archibald matched digs at seven a piece.

In the second set, it was Iona that turned around an early deficit to earn a victory as Quinnipiac scored four of the first five points of the set. The Gaels quickly turned the deficit into an advantage at 12-11 before the teams traded points for a majority of the middle of the set. After an Archibald kill and a Bobcat attacking error pushed Iona ahead 22-18, the Gaels held off Quinnipiac with two of the final three points towards a 25-22 win as Kassandra Darnaby and Archibald tallied kills. Archibald led all individuals in the set with five kills on a .500 hitting percentage while Smith and Rose evenly split 14 assists. 

Trailing 18-15 in the second third set, the Maroon & Gold used a 10-5 run to secure the 25-23 win and take a 2-1 match lead. In the late run, Iona put together three blocks to end the set with four as Karla Johnson recorded two assists and Tess Connolly posted a solo and assisted block. Archibald once notched the set-high in kills with six. 

Iona attempted a comeback in the fourt set to claim the 3-1 match win, however, an 15-5 Quinnipiac start to the set proved too much to overcome as the Gaels got within one point at 24-23 before a service error gave Quinnipiac the win to force set five. Rose found Archibald twice in the final stages to bring the game within a point as the junior produced another six kills in the set effort. The late defense also provided a spark for the Gaels as the team netted 21 digs in the game, led by four a piece from Archibald and Amanda Gannon.

In the deciding set, the Maroon & Gold benefited  from a 5-1 start and never relinquished the lead despite Quinnipiac coming with one at 6-5. From there, a 12-3 run ended the match with a 15-8 set victory fittingly finished off on Archibald's last kill to give her the career-high. 

Iona returns to the road following three-match homestand with a trip to Saint Peter's on Wednesday. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm from Jersey City.