Siena Sweeps Manhattan and Earns a Spot in the Championship Final Against Marist
MAAC Sports
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Second seeded Siena College defeated third seeded Manhattan College in the semifinals and advance to the championship title match of the 2014 MAAC Volleyball Championship at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Siena and Manhattan kept it close in the early goings of the set exchanging points. With the match even at 20-20, Siena closed out the set 5-2 getting two kills from Rachel Stoklosa, and a kill and service ace from Meghann Wright to win the set 25-22. Stoklosa and Malia McGuinness of Manhattan each killed five attacks in the first set.
The second set began with eight ties on the first eight points. After a kill by Siena’s Christina Monroe, the Saints would go on a 7-2 run to extend its lead to 15-10. The Saints would close out the set 10-6 and earn the 25-16 victory and the 2-0 match lead.
Siena closed the deal on Manhattan 25-19 in the third in final set. The Saints jumped out to a quick 5-3 lead, before the Jaspers would tie the match at 5-5. A kill from Jacqueline Skeen would give the Saints the lead for the final time on the match at 6-5. The Jaspers would tie the set again at 14-14 but Siena would hold off the Manhattan come back chances with three straight points.
Stoklosa had a match high 14 kills while Wright added 12. Haley Howell assisted on 34 of the Saints 40 assists in the three set victory. Manhattan was led by McGuinness with her team high nine kills.
Siena advances to the title match of the championship and plays tomorrow at 2:00p.m. on ESPN3 against the top seed Marist College.
Manhattan will play in the third place match against Fairfield at 11:00a.m. tomorrow.