JERSEY CITY, NY - The Iona College volleyball team earned a four set (26-24, 25-17, 23-25, 25-22) road victory against Saint Peter's to complete a season sweep against the Peacocks. Sophomore
Jen Soto finished with a career-high 17 kills on 23 swings and sophomore
Tamara Pichardo notched a career-high 39 assists propelling the Gaels to victory and their fourth road win on the season. Iona snapped their six-game skid and improved to 6-9 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
The Match
Set 1 (26-24)
Similar to their matchup last month, Iona grabbed the first set from Saint Peter's and after trailing 8-4, the Gaels capitalized on an 11-3 run to retake the lead. Two kills from sophomore
Emma Jacobs and three more from freshman
Nerin Valasakos catapulted the run that put Iona up for good in the opening set. Saint Peter's managed to tie the set up at 16, but Iona answered with an 8-2 run to take a 24-18 advantage. However, the Peacocks battled off six set points and managed to tie the set up once again. Keeping their composure the Gaels answered winning two straight points on a kill from Soto and an ace from senior
Cassandra Patsos to close out the first set, 26-24.
Set 2 (25-17)
Iona controlled the second set only falling behind once, at 10-9. Iona won the following three points to take a 12-10 advantage and after exchanging kills the Gaels remained in front at 15-14. Using a 10-3 run to close out the frame, the Maroon & Gold managed to take a two set lead after posting one of their cleanest sets of the season, hitting only two errors. The Gaels also hit a match-high 15 kills and posted a set-best .371 hitting percentage in the second set.
Set 3 (23-25)
Continuing momentum from the first two sets, Iona opened up a 5-1 and then 9-4 advantage thanks to kills from Patsos, Soto and junior
Fleur Wiersma. Saint Peter's managed to erase the deficit using an 8-1 run to bring them back into the set and take a 14-13 lead. Iona recovered, winning four straight points but that was answered with six consecutive points from the Peacocks to bring the home team back in front, 20-17. A kill from senior
Alessandra Brady and two clutch aces from sophomore
Hope Matschner brought us to another tie at 20. Knotted up at 22, Saint Peter's closed out the set winning three out of the final four points to take the third set.
Set 4 (25-22)
The start of the fourth set was back-and-forth with both teams trading mini-runs and at the media timeout Saint Peter's led 15-13. Staying in front, the Peacocks led 18-16, but the Gaels rallied off six out of the next seven points to take a 22-19 lead and control of the frame. Leading 24-22, Jacobs sealed the win with a kill giving Iona the set and the match.
STAT LEADERS
ON OFFENSE:
Along with her career-high in kills, Soto hit an efficient .671 which was a match best. Wiersma contributed with 11 kills, one off her season-best and Patsos and Valsakos finished with seven and six kills respectively on the day.
ON DEFENSE:
In the win, Iona had three different players reach double-figures in digs, with Matschner recording a game-high 22. Pichardo added 12 digs, giving her a double-double on the afternoon and Patsos finished with 10 to make it a fourth consecutive match of reaching double figures.
UP NEXT:
Iona returns to action tomorrow afternoon to take on Rider, which will be the last regular season road game for the Gaels. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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