Box Score
Box Score
TOWSON, Md. – The Manhattan College volleyball team began its 2015 campaign with a 3-0 victory over Saint Francis (PA) at the Towson Invitational on Friday morning. The Jaspers (1-0) won their season opener for the third consecutive year, knocking off the Red Flash (0-1) by a 25-19, 25-14, 25-20 count at SECU Arena.
After the Jaspers jumped out to an early 10-6 lead in the first set, Saint Francis (PA) responded with an 8-2 rally to go up 14-12. However, a kill by Marissa Behrens (Honolulu, Hawaii) followed by a Jade Gray (Boise, Idaho) service ace capped a 3-0 run that put Manhattan back in front, 15-14. The Jaspers eventually opened up a 23-16 advantage on a kill by Ivana Kostic (Grocka, Serbia), and took the set 25-19.
Saint Francis (PA) scored the first four points of the second set, but the Jaspers countered with a 6-0 run of their own. After the Red Flash got back within 8-6, Manhattan used a 7-0 spurt, capped by an Alyssa Rehrer (Lorton, Va.) ace, to increase its lead to 15-6. The Jaspers' cushion reached 11 points at 18-7 before Saint Francis (PA) scored three of the next four points. However, Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) slammed a kill to spark another 4-0 rally that brought Manhattan to set point, and the Jaspers closed out the frame, 25-14.
In the third set, Manhattan had a 14-11 lead before Van Dyk served an ace to start a 4-0 run that extended the advantage to seven points, 18-11. After a Van Dyk kill brought the Jaspers to match point, the Red Flash rattled off four points in a row to get back within four, 24-20. However, Behrens put away a kill on the next point to end it. Manhattan clinched the season-opening straight-sets triumph with a 25-20 third set win.
Milena Janjusevic (Belgrade, Serbia) paced the Jaspers with nine kills and added 13 digs, while Van Dyk had six kills and 11 digs to go along with five aces. Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) registered a match-high 16 digs and Gray just missed a double-double with 18 assists and nine digs. Manhattan outdug Saint Francis (PA) 61-51 and held an 8-2 advantage in aces. As a team, the Jaspers hit .080 (29 kills, 20 errors, 112 attempts) in the match.
Breanna Oprea had seven kills to lead the Red Flash, while Hannah Kutny recorded six kills and 12 digs. Emily Marcinowski paced the squad with 15 digs and Jenna Veres added 13 digs. Amelia Metzler handed out 15 assists for Saint Francis (PA), which hit .052 (26-20-115) as a team.
Manhattan is back in action later on Friday with a 2:30 p.m. match against Coppin State (0-0). Last season, the Jaspers earned a five-set win over the Eagles.
