HUTCHINSON, Kan., November 16, 2018 – The No. 16-seed Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team fell to the No. 8-seeded Mineral Area Cardinals, 3-0, on Friday in the first round of the consolation bracket. With the loss, the Mustangs are eliminated from the 2018 NJCAA Division I Women's Volleyball National Championships and finish the season 17-13.
 
The Mustangs and Cardinals traded points to open up and back-and-forth first set, before the Cardinals jumped ahead with a 14-10 lead, forcing a Monroe timeout. The Cardinals though, extended their lead following the timeout and held on for a 25-17 victory in the first set.
 
In the second set, the Mustangs opened up an early lead, but Mineral Area battled back to take the lead and the set, 25-21.
 
Up 2-0, the Cardinals took the lead and again pulled away from the Mustangs in the third set, finishing the match with a 25-20 set victory to move on in the consolation bracket.
 
Tereza Strnadlova led the Mustangs with eight kills and an ace, while Karla Figueroa added seven kills and 13 digs.
 
Defensively, Nashally Eleutiza notched a team-high 14 digs, adding three assists and a service ace, while Maryorie Cruz Baez led the Mustangs with 14 assists.
 
With the loss the Mustangs finish the season 17-13, having claimed their eighth-straight Region Championship and their third-straight District Championship, as well as their third-consecutive appearance in the NJCAA Div. I Women's Volleyball National Championships in Hutchinson, Kan.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).