POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The Iona College volleyball program lost to Marist College in four sets (15-25, 20-25, 25-20, 17-25) in McCann Arena on Friday night. Junior
Jamie Smith and sophomore
Alessandra Brady each had 10 kills for the Maroon & Gold.
GAME SUMMARY
Marist won the opening set, 25-15. The Red Foxes got their most convincing set victory courtesy of a 10-0 run that put them up 21-8. McKinley Fox served all the points and carried her team to the early lead. Marist had 18 kills compared to seven for the Maroon & Gold.
In the second set, Iona's offense improved and with it, the team's resolve. Iona held a 12-7 lead and withstood a 5-1 run midway through the frame. A Red Fox attack error gave the Maroon & Gold a 16-13 lead. However, Marist discovered its second wind in the set and a 6-1 spurt put Iona in a 19-17 hole. Sophomore
Cassandra Patsos tried to quell the run, but another 5-1 run put the Gaels in too deep of a hole. Marist took a 2-0 lead with a 25-20 second set victory.
Iona took an early 3-0 lead in the third set. Marist tied the game at 10 apiece, but a kill from Smith prevented the Red Foxes from taking the lead. Iona did fall behind 15-14 following a Skylar Harrison kill, but Connolly struck a kill to get a crucial sideout and re-deadlock the score. A four-point spurt put the Maroon & Gold ahead 19-15 and then Gael wave crashed down with a 25-20 third set win.
Marist took a cue from Iona's third set and took an early three-point edge. The Gaels fell behind 6-1, but then battled back to get within one, 8-7. The Maroon & Gold continued to try and get over the hump, but the Red Foxes continued to make the hill taller and taller as the set continued. Three straight Maroon & Gold errors put Iona down 19-13. Marist closed out the fourth set and the match with a 6-2 spurt.
STATISTICAL LEADERS
- Smith & Brady each had a team-best 10 kills. Smith hit .143 and Brady connected at a .250 clip. Smith had a team-best 13.5 total points.
- Senior Karla Johnson set a new career-high with eight total blocks. It's the fourth time in five games she has had at least five blocks. She has seven games with five-plus blocks this season.
- Redshirt senior Jessica Paolucci collected 18 digs. No other Gaels had more than eight digs.
- Senior Alexandra Russo, junior Taylor Cole and Smith all had one ace.
- Sophomore Maile Powell and rookie Samantha Juran each had 17 assists.
- Marist was led by Megan Fergus who had 20 kills. Nikki DeSerpa had 14 kills. Stephanie Stone had five blocks and Sophia Theriot had 19 digs. Fox had 46 assist of the teams 52 total assists.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- There were only four combined aces in the match. Marist's lone ace came from Sophie Theriot. It is tied for the fewest aces by an Iona opponent this season. Quinnipiac also only had one ace at the Hynes Center on November 3.
- Iona hit .141 as a team. Marist hit .199 as a team. The Red Foxes had double-digit kills in all four sets.
- Iona's 14 blocks as a team is its second-most this season, and most in a four-set match.
- The Maroon & Gold have lost two straight matches to Marist for the first time since 2016. Iona had won four straight prior to this recent spell. Iona holds an 18-17 overall all-time series record.
UP NEXT
The Gaels wrap up the 2019 season tomorrow, Saturday, November 16. Iona travels to Loudonville, NY to serve up against the Saints at 1 p.m. at the Alumni Recreation Center. The Maroon & Gold are looking to secure the season sweep after claiming a four-set win at the Hynes Center on Saturday, October 20.
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