Winning Streak Reaches Six As Jaspers Top Peacocks

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Manhattan College volleyball team snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-1 win at Saint Peter's on Oct. 5.  The Jaspers haven't lost since.  In the rematch with the Peacocks (5-15, 2-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) on Wednesday night, Manhattan (14-8, 7-3 MAAC) kept rolling, notching a 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium for its sixth straight victory.

Saint Peter's scored the first three points of the match, and the Peacocks held a 12-9 advantage midway through the first set.  However, a kill by Jade Gray (Boise, Idaho) started a 5-0 Manhattan rally that turned that three-point deficit into a two-point, 14-12, lead.  Saint Peter's responded with three straight points to go back in front, 15-14, but Manhattan ended the set on an 11-3 run, and a Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) kill wrapped up a 25-18 win.

After the Jaspers took a 3-1 lead in the second set, the Peacocks rallied for seven of the next 10 points to go up 8-6.  However, a block by Gray and Marissa Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii) started a 4-0 Manhattan run that put the Jaspers in front 10-8.  The margin eventually reached five points when Van Dyk served an ace to make it 18-13.  Saint Peter's pulled within one at 20-19, but Manhattan scored three of the next four points to extend its cushion to 23-20.  A kill by Kelsey LaCour (Walnut Creek, Calif.) brought the Jaspers to set point, and Van Dyk slammed a kill to finish off the frame, 25-22.

In the third set, Manhattan raced out to a 10-3 advantage before Saint Peter's stormed back to tie the score at 14-14.  Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) then pounded a kill to put the Jaspers back in front, 15-14, and start a 7-1 Manhattan spurt.  After an ace by Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) ran the lead to 21-15, Van Dyk served an ace of her own to set up match point.  Malia McGuinness (Kailua, Hawaii) and LaCour then teamed up for a block, as the Jaspers took the set, 25-17, to cap their first 3-0 sweep in a conference match this season.

Van Dyk had her third straight double-double for the Jaspers, finishing with a match-high 17 kills to go along with 10 digs.  McGuinness also recorded a double-double, her fourth straight, with 10 kills and a match-high 17 digs.  Van Dyk and McGuinness each added a pair of aces, and Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) served three aces to go along with 14 digs.  Gray, meanwhile, distributed 36 assists, as Manhattan hit .216 (42 kills, 17 errors, 116 attempts) as a team.  The Jaspers held a 54-49 advantage in digs and had eight aces to the Peacocks' two.

For Saint Peter's, Lauren Behrens led the way with 13 kills on .414 hitting.  She added a team-high 15 digs to complete a double-double.  Kayla Howell contributed 14 digs, while Kristina Baehr handed out 25 assists.  As a team, Saint Peter's hit .123 (30-17-106) in the match.