Riverdale, N.Y. (September 3, 2005)--Manhattan Volleyball opened the 2005 season with a 3-0 win (30-26, 30-24, 30-28) over Wofford College in the first game of the second annual Jasper Volleyball Invitational. In match two of the day, American University defeated Quinnipiac University three games to none (30-22, 30-26, 30-19), setting the stage for a Manhattan-American championship match at 7 p.m. Wofford will face Quinnipiac in the tournament's consolation match at 5 p.m.
In their first game of the year, the Lady Jaspers started out slow as Wofford jumped to 4-0 lead. Freshman Andrea Reiff got Manhattan on the board with her first collegiate kill. The Lady Jaspers would then take a 5-4 lead on a kill by sophomore Ashley Watson, and would not look back from there as they did not trail for the rest of the game.
In game two, Wofford would take a 15-14 lead on a Christal Carey service ace, but the Lady Jaspers jumped right back out in front on back-to-back kills by Reiff and senior Megan O'Dorisio en route to a 30-24 win. Reiff finished her college debut with 10 kills and eight digs, while O'Dorisio added 14 kills and eight digs.
Manhattan led early on in game three of the match, but Wofford stormed back to a 28-27 lead. After two Wofford attacking errors, however, Watson finished off a pass from senior setter Lori Bambauer to complete the 30-28 Lady Jasper win and three-game sweep of Wofford. Bambauer recorded 41 assists for the match.
Senior Maggie Pfeifer was also a major factor in the Lady Jaspers' opening day victory. The
Preseason All-MAAC selection hit a match-high .536 with 15 kills and four digs.
Leading the way offensively and defensively for Wofford was Brittany Thompson with 9 kills and 13 digs. Christal Carey also recorded for the Terriers.
In the second match of the day, American swept past Quinnipiac behind 12 kills for senior Cutrina Biddulph. Quinnipiac, who did not hold a lead at any point during the match, was led by junior Kalyn Hundley's 14 kills.