Marist Defeats Iona in Five Sets in the MAAC Semifinal
MAAC Sports
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. –Second-seeded Marist College defeated third-seeded Iona College 3-2 in the second semifinal of the 2013 MAAC Volleyball Championship at Siena’s Alumni Recreation Center.
The Red Foxes took the first set 25-15. Marist led the entire set, only trailing early on at 1-0. The second set had 13 ties and 8 lead changes before the Red Foxes closed out the Gaels 31-29.
The Gaels took the momentum in the third set with a 25-22 win. Iona held the lead for the majority of the set before Marist took the late 21-20 lead. A kill by Iona’s Alicja Pawelec helped Iona regain the lead for the final time in the set. The Gaels then took the fourth set 25-19 to force a fifth and final set.
In the fifth set, Marist led from the beginning opening up with a 4-0 lead. The Gaels never got within two points as the Red Foxes claimed a 15-9 victory.
Kelsey Lahey led the Red Foxes attack with match high 20 kills. Courtney Shaw added 18 kills, while MAAC Player of the Year Mackenzie Stephens recorded 14 kills for the Red Foxes. MAAC Libero of the Year Brook Zywick registered a match high 20 digs.
Marist will take on top-seeded Fairfield University tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the 2013 MAAC Volleyball Championship title match. The winner of that match will earn the MAAC's automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship.