Box Score
WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Manhattan College volleyball team's losing streak is over. On Wednesday night, the Lady Jaspers (8-10) snapped their five-match skid with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 triumph over Army (10-10) at Gillis Field House. Diane Strutner (San Jose, Calif.) led the way for Manhattan with 10 kills and 14 digs.
Army jumped out to an early 5-1 lead before Manhattan rallied for the next three points to make it 5-4. The Black Knights pulled out in front again, 9-5, but the Lady Jaspers again responded, pulling within one at 9-8. Army claimed the next three points to push its lead to 12-8 and force a Manhattan timeout. Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) pounded a kill out of the timeout, and the Lady Jaspers took over from there, going on a 9-1 run to take a 17-16 lead. After the Black Knights tied the score at 18-18, Manhattan scored seven of the final eight points to take the set, 25-19.
The Black Knights again took an early lead in the second set, opening up a 7-3 margin. Manhattan immediately responded, using a 6-3 run to pull within one at 10-9. After the Lady Jaspers tied the score at 13-13 on a kill by Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.), the Black Knights used a 6-2 run to again build a four-point lead, 19-15. However, just like they did at the end of the first set, the Lady Jaspers responded with a big rally that put the set away. A Strutner kill capped a 5-1 spurt that tied the score at 20-20, then, after Army went back in front, 21-20, Manhattan scored the final five points of the set to finish off a 25-21 win.
It was Manhattan that built the early advantage in the third set. Army scored the first point of the set, but the Lady Jaspers rallied for the next four to take a 4-1 lead. Manhattan eventually extended its advantage to 17-6 before a 5-1 Army run brought the Black Knights back within seven, 18-11. However, Manhattan responded with a 5-1 spurt to get within two points of winning the match. The Lady Jaspers reached match point at 24-14, but Army took the next three points, prompting a Manhattan timeout. On Manhattan's fourth match point opportunity, Rahey slammed a kill wrap up the set, 25-17, and the three-set sweep.
Strutner hit .300 in the match, committing just one error in 30 swings, to lead a very balanced offensive attack. Rahey tallied nine kills, Huntoon posted six kills and Alexa Lampasona (Remensburg, N.Y.) registered six kills. Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) handed out 31 assists to go along with seven digs. Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) recorded a match-high 21 digs and Nikki Chamberlin (San Diego, Calif.) contributed 11 digs, as the Lady Jaspers outdug the Black Knights 65-54. Overall, Manhattan hit .200 (37-14-115) in the match.
For Army, Ariana Mankus tallied a match-high 12 kills and completed a double-double with 11 digs. Francine Vasquez and Kristina Keltner each added 11 digs, while Karyn Powell distributed 23 assists for the Black Knights. Megan Wilton recorded five blocks. The Black Knights hit .080 (37-26-138) as a team.
Manhattan's next six matches are Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tilts, starting with a 2 p.m. contest at Siena (4-11, 3-3 MAAC) on Saturday. The Lady Jaspers (2-4 MAAC) return to Draddy Gymnasium on Sunday, when they host Loyola (7-13, 1-5 MAAC) at 3 p.m. on "Lee National Denim Day" for breast cancer awareness. All fans are encouraged to come to Sunday's match wearing pink shirts and jeans, the official attire of "National Denim Day."
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