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Iona University Athletics

Iona Volleyball Seniors
Geraldo Rodriguez
0
Manhattan MC 6-22,3-12 MAAC
3
Winner Iona Iona 5-21,5-11 MAAC
Manhattan MC
6-22,3-12 MAAC
0
Final
3
Iona Iona
5-21,5-11 MAAC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Manhattan MC 23 16 22 (0)
Iona Iona 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Jonathan Stanko

Iona Volleyball Dominates On Senior Day

Julia Stewart & Tess Connolly have double-doubles in win over Manhattan

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College volleyball program closed out its home schedule with a sweet straight set victory against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rival Manhattan College. The Gaels sweep (25-23, 25-16, 25-22) was powered by its five seniors who were honored prior to the match. Alexandra Russo, Jessica Paolucci, Julia Stewart, Tess Connolly and Karla Johnson combined for 33 of Iona's 45 kills and 41 of its 55 total points.

GAME SUMMARY

The defining moment in the opening set came with the score tied at 9-9. With rookie Samantha Juran serving, the Gaels rattled off four straight points and took a 13-9 lead. Iona's lead increased to 19-12 with an ace from Connolly. Manhattan attempted to rally back with a 6-1 run in the closing moments to tie it at 23, but a kill from Connolly gave serve back the Maroon & Gold with a change to clinch. Like the middle of the set, Juran's strong serve put Manhattan off balance and Iona took the first frame, 25-23.
 
Connolly had seven kills and four digs in the first set. She had 23 of Iona's 49 swings in the first frame. The Gaels hit .224 in the frame and had two total blocks defensively. Stewart had five digs, half of her match total, in the first set.
 
The second set was a series of runs for both programs. Iona had a 4-0 run to take a 9-6 lead, but five straight points from Manhattan put the Jaspers back in front. After trading points and being tied at 15, sophomore Cassandra Patsos stepped up to the service line and made the definitive stretch for the Maroon & Gold possible. The Gaels scored six straight points with her serving and took a 22-15 lead. The Jaspers broke service once, but that was all as Stewart closed out the set with three straight kills.
 
Stewart had five kills in the second set on 10 swings. Connolly had seven of the team's 14 digs in the frame. Manhattan hit a match-worst -0.192 in the frame. The Jaspers had only two kills.
 
The final set was the most balanced offensive attack for the Maroon & Gold. Connolly had five kills, but junior Jamie Smith, Stewart and Johnson all had three kills. Defensively, Paolucci had a match-best eight digs in the third and final set.
 
Two aces from Patsos helped the Gaels open up the set taking with a 9-6 lead. Iona maintained a lead until Manhattan put together a five-point spurt to tie the match at 16-16. The two MAAC foes traded the next four rallies until they were knotted at 20. Over the next four points, kills from Connolly and Johnson helped push the Maroon & Gold to match-point. The Jaspers managed to scored twice before a ball handling error that sent the Maroon & Gold home happy.
 

STATISTICAL LEADERS

  • Stewart set new career-highs in kills (10), points (11.5) and digs (10). In her final home game at the Hynes Athletics Center, Stewart recorded her first ever collegiate double-double.
  • Connolly set new season-bests in kills (14) and points (16.0). She collected her first
  • Juran finished the match with 31 assists. Sophomore Maile Powell had seven.
  • Defensively, Paolucci had 14 digs, followed closely by Connolly's 13. Johnson had three blocks.
  • Manhattan's Erin Hoener led her team in kills (9) and blocks (5). Abby Wilde had 18 assists and Nashally Eleutiza had 16 digs.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • Iona started each of the five seniors in each set, and all the veterans used their experience to battle through a match that had an abnormal 23 ties and 13 lead changes in just three frames.
  • Iona has won multiple matches in a row for the first time this season.
  • The Gaels extend their winning streak against the Jaspers to seven games. It is the longest winning streak in the all-time series history. Iona now holds the all-time series lead against Manhattan, 17-16.
  • Iona scored 55.0 points as a team while Manhattan had 35.0. The Gaels had 45 kills compared to 24 for the Jaspers. The Maroon & Gold also had a major advantage in assists, 41-20.
  • The Maroon & Gold won the match despite having 12 service errors. It's ties a MAAC-season worst, with the other match being a four-set match against Fairfield on November 1.

AROUND THE MAAC

  • Marist earned a hard fought five set win against Niagara in Lewiston, NY.
  • Fairfield clinched the MAAC regular season title with a four-set win against Rider.
  • Quinnipiac swept Saint Peter's in Hamden, CT.
  • Siena upset Canisius in Buffalo in five sets.

UP NEXT

The Iona College volleyball program wraps up the regular season on the road next weekend. On Friday, November 15, the Maroon & Gold travel to Poughkeepsie, NY for a contest against Marist. On Saturday, November 16, it's a venture to Loudonville, NY to try and collect the season-sweep against Siena.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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Iona Volleyball: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)




 
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