Box Score
PULLMAN, Wash. - After dropping a pair of close matches on Friday, the Manhattan College volleyball team was back in action at the Nike Cougar Challenge on Saturday. The Jaspers (3-5) once again played well, but came up on the short end of a 25-16, 25-17, 25-23 decision against San Francisco (5-4) at Bohler Gym on the campus of Washington State University.
There were a total of 22 ties and 11 lead changes in Manhattan's three-set loss to Sam Houston State on Friday. And the first set of the Jaspers' match against San Francisco was again tight, featuring five ties and two lead changes. The Dons built an early 5-2 advantage before a LaKell Havens (St. George, Utah) kill ignited an 8-4 Manhattan run that put the Jaspers in front 10-9. However, San Francisco responded with five straight points to take control of the set. Manhattan got back within two at 14-12, but San Francisco hit a whopping .400 (16 kills, four errors, 30 attempts) to take the set by a 25-16 margin.
The Dons continued their momentum early in the second set, opening up an 8-1 advantage. Manhattan trimmed its deficit to four at 14-10, then got back-to-back service aces from Havens to pull within 17-14. However, San Francisco closed the set on an 8-3 run to secure a 25-17 victory and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
In a third set that saw 13 ties, the lead changed hands six different times. The sides traded the first 10 points of the set before San Francisco rallied for three in a row to take a 7-5 advantage. However, Manhattan responded by taking six of the next eight points, going in front 11-9 on a block by Havens and Mariana Furquim (Curitiba, Brazil). It was then San Francisco's turn to rally, as the Dons claimed five of the next six points to pull ahead 14-12. After Manhattan went back in front 15-14 on a Havens ace, San Francisco used an 8-3 run to open up a 22-18 lead. The Dons reached match point at 24-21, but Malia McGuinness (Kailua, Hawaii) slammed consecutive kills to fight off the first two opportunities. However, San Francisco converted its third match point chance, taking the third set 25-23.
McGuinness finished with a team-high eight kills and committed just one error, hitting .368 in the match. She also tallied seven digs. Havens pounded seven kills to go along with four aces. Hollgen Henderson (Long Beach, Calif.) dished out 19 assists, while Sarah Haselhorst (Naperville, Ill.) collected a team-best nine digs and Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) added eight digs. Overall, Manhattan hit .138 (28-15-94) in the match.
For San Francisco, Valentina Zaloznik led the way with 11 kills on .421 hitting. Jocelyn Levig added nine kills, while Alycia Cox tallied seven kills and a match-high 12 digs. Whitney Swain and Rebecca Koplovitch both contributed eight digs, as the Dons outdug the Jaspers 45-37. Joan Caloiaro handed out 32 assists and hit .625, posting five kills on eight errorless attempts. As a team, the Dons hit .314 (46-14-102).
Manhattan concludes its season-opening nine-match road trip with a visit to Lafayette (5-2) on Tuesday night. The match is scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m.
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