WEST POINT, NY - The Iona College volleyball program wrapped up their weekend empty handed as both Army and Providence defeated the Gaels in a pair of matches at the Gillis Field House. In game one Iona and Providence went four sets with the Friars coming out on top 3-1 (16-25, 25-12, 16-25, 19-25). Army swept the Maroon & Gold in match two (12-25, 18-25, 18-25).
GAME ONE - PROVIDENCE 3, IONA 1
Providence and Iona traded points back-and-forth before the Friars were able to secure a two-point lead, 12-10. After three straight points for Providence, the Gaels faced a three-point deficit and quickly made it a one-point game, 14-13. Over the rest of the set, Iona was outscored 11-3 and ultimately dropped set one, 25-16. Kiarra Roth accounted for three of Iona's four kills in the first set for the Maroon & Gold with Alessandra Brady recording the other.
Set two was all Gaels; Iona took the set in demanding fashion, 25-12. The first ten points of set two went back-and-forth between the two teams. Iona gained a five-point lead, 11-6. AÂ kill from Roth and three straight attack errors from the Friars gave the Gaels a lead they would not relinquish. The Maroon & Gold outscored Providence 14-6 before Julia Thomas closed the door on set two with her second kill of the afternoon.
The Friars came out of the gate quick in set three. Iona kept it tied until 4-4 before a 4-0 run by Providence. Iona called its first timeout down 8-4 to try to slow down the Friar offense but the timeout fueled it more, allowing them to jump to a six-point lead. Iona made a mid-set comeback with six straight points of their own, closing the gap to one point. Once again Iona was outscored 11-3 as Providence closed out set three.
Set four was not much different from sets three and one; Providence gained an early lead, 3-2. The Gaels put together a late comeback, making it a three-point game. Down 21-18, the Friars saw the end line and capitalized.
GAME TWO - ARMY 3, IONA 0
Set one opened in the Gaels favor, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead. The next two went to the host team. Army outscored the Gaels 6-1 and secured a three-point lead that the Maroon & Gold would fail to get back. Jen Soto and Thomas led the offense with two kills each in set one.Â
Set two was a slow start for Iona; Army held on to a four-point lead for the first third of the set. The Gaels inched back one point at a time but the deficit was too steep. Cassandra Patsos led the second set with four kills and sophomore Tamara Pichardo added three kills and an ace.Â
Two kills from Patsos, one kill from Soto, along with three straight attack errors by Army gave Iona a 5-4 lead in set three. Army took it right back with three straight points. The Maroon & Gold kept it a one-point game until Army went on a 6-1 run. Patsos led the Gaels in set three once again with five kills, while Soto added three herself.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & Gold will travel to Lafayette on Wednesday September 1 to take on the Leopards at 7 pm. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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