NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona University Volleyball team squared off with Quinnipiac Saturday afternoon, the two sides' second meeting of the season. The Bobcats took the last meeting in Connecticut and have won the past two in the Hynes Athletics center, while the Gaels have taken home a win from three of their past four bouts as the host.
AS IT HAPPENED
The Maroon & Gold stormed out of the gate winning the battle at the net with four total blocks into the first media timeout. With a response from the Bobcats who totaled nine more kills than Iona with 12, the Gaels would go on to drop the first set 14-25
Led by an assisted block and kill from
Grace Ehler, the Gaels would open the second set with on a 5-1 run. The visitors took the lead off a 7-2 run in response, but spurred on by five kills from
Taylor Timko, Iona hit .355 as a team and took back a set, 25-19.
The third set was a back-and-forth affair prior to the media timeout with seven lead changes. Back from the break, the bobcats went on a 11-3 run to close a set that Iona would drop 18-25.
Ava DeGuzman led the Maroon & Gold with four kills in the third, while
Taylor Timko reached double-digit kills with her ninth and tenth in the set.
Half a dozen kills from
Jen Soto and a late 8-2 run saw the Gaels heading into a fifth deciding set for the third game in a row, landing three aces as a team and taking the fourth 25-21.
The finale was the sixth game of the season for the Gaels to go into a deciding fifth set, where they counted three blocks as a team to Quinnipiac's one, but would drop the final set 12-15, and lose the match 2-3.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Graduate Grace Ehler grabbed a career-high 11 total blocks while landing five kills. The Tucson Arizona native became the second Gael since 2016 to total more than 10 blocks, with Buse Tinaz accomplishing the feat last week.
- A Third straight game for Taylor Timko besting her career high in kills. The Rookie tallied 17 with seven digs and an assisted block.
- Emma Vu totaled her seventh double-double of the season tossing out 25 assists while counting 14 digs.
- Sanem Bas totaled double-digit digs for the eighth time this season with 12, her fourth game in a row with at least 10.
- Avery Gaume and Kenzie Wiggins were the third and fourth Gaels to record double-digit digs, with 11 and 10 respectively.
THE OPPONENT
- Three Bobcats recorded double-doubles. Elena Giacomini totaled 16 kills and 21 digs, while Leilani-kai Giusta had 17 kills and 15 digs. Yagmur Gunes led all players on court with 20 kills and tallied 11 digs.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to the Hynes Athletics Center tomorrow at noon, celebrating Senior day in a season finale against Merrimack.
