RIVERDALE, NY – The Iona University volleyball team faced rival Manhattan in the second game of the rivalry series. The Gaels started the match strong, winning the first two sets. The Jaspers responded by taking the next two sets to force a decisive fifth. Iona came out strong in the final set, jumping out to an early seven-point lead. The fast start propelled the Gaels to a fifth-set win and a match victory.

THE RUNDOWN: iona: 3, Manhattan: 2

SET 1: The Gaels' first point of the set came from a kill by junior Ezzie Thompson. Thompson's kill sparked a 5-2 run for the Maroon and Gold, giving them a 5-3 lead. The set continued as a back-and-forth battle with both teams trading points until the score sat at 10-9. A quick three-point stretch, highlighted by kills from freshman Julia Leonardo and sophomore Taylor Timko, gave Iona a slight three-point cushion, but the Jaspers quickly responded with three of their own to tie the set at 14. After falling behind by two, the Gaels scored six straight points backed by three kills from three different players and two service aces to take a four-point edge. Manhattan scored three straight with hopes of completing a comeback, but a kill from Leonardo capped off a 25-23 set one win for the Gaels.

SET 2: Freshman Gabby Taylor opened the second set with a kill. Much like the first, both teams traded points early, with neither side leading by more than two. The score was tied at nine when freshman Emma Koceja sparked an 8-3 run to give Iona a four-point cushion. Manhattan responded with a 4-0 run to tie the set at 16. The teams remained tied at 19 until the Gaels pulled ahead with four unanswered points, including two service aces from sophomore Kari Smith. Taylor sealed the 25-21 set win with a kill.

SET 3: The Maroon and Gold gave up the first two points of the set before Koceja put Iona on the board with a kill, sparking a 5-1 run to give the Gaels a two-point edge. Manhattan answered with three straight points to tie the match at six. From there, Iona outscored the Jaspers by five to take a four-point lead, but Manhattan battled back with three straight to cut the deficit to one. The Jaspers tied the set at 16 following four unanswered points, forcing an Iona timeout. Out of the timeout, Manhattan earned two service aces to take a two-point lead. The Gaels responded with two straight to even the score at 18, but a successful Jasper challenge restored their two-point advantage. Two consecutive kills from Timko tied the set at 20, but Manhattan followed with four straight points to reach set point and secured the 25-21 win on a kill.

SET 4: Leonardo opened the scoring for Iona with a kill, but Manhattan answered with a 5-1 run to go up by three. After falling behind by four, the Gaels responded with three unanswered points to pull within one. Two kills and a service ace from the Jaspers extended their lead back to four. The margin remained around four for much of the set until a late 4-1 Iona run brought the Gaels within one. Despite the rally, Manhattan held on to win 25-22 and force a decisive fifth set.

SET 5: The Gaels jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, fueled by three service aces from Smith and a pair of Jasper errors. Manhattan responded with two points before Iona answered with four straight to extend the lead to seven. Match point for the Gaels came on a kill from Koceja, sealing the victory for Iona.

IONA Performers

• Taylor had a career high 12 kills. 
• Smith gets a new career high in service aces with five. 
• Leonardo led the attack with 23 kills. 
• Schroeder led the team in assists with 55. 
• Avery Gaume anchored the defense with 26 digs. 

THE OPPONENT

• Abby Morreale, Emma Francesconi and Fiona VanDyke had double digit kills. 
• Hunter Kwan led the team in assists with 20. 
• Teresa Garza led the defense with 19 digs.  

UP NEXT

The Maroon and Gold will travel to Connecticut on Friday to face off against the Quinnipiac Bobcats. The match is set to tip off at 5 P.M. The match will be streamed on GoBobcats.com.

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