HANCEVILLE, Ala., November 3, 2018 – The Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team suffered its first loss of the District L/M Championships on Saturday, falling to host, and No. 19-ranked Wallace State Community College in four sets at Tom Drake Coliseum. The Mustangs will continue their journey through the loser's bracket on Sunday. Monroe falls to 16-10 overall on the season, while Wallace State improves to 32-7.
 
The opening frame went back-and-forth throughout, with neither team being able to go ahead by more than two points. This eventually resulted in a 24-24 stalemate, needing extra points to determine the winner. Wallace State picked up the final two points for a 26-24 win to go up, 1-0.
 
The Lions were able to carry the momentum from the first second into the next, taking a 12-6 lead early on. The Mustangs scored the next three points, but they were unable to get any closer the rest of the way, falling 25-18 and seeing Wallace State take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
The Mustangs responded with a strong start in the third frame, grabbing a 4-1 lead off the bat. The Lions tied things up at 7-7, the Monroe kept battling and took a 10-8 lead. The Lions worked their way back into the lead, going up, 13-11, but three straight points for Monroe gave the Mustangs a 14-13 edge. Wallace State led 17-15 before an impressive 10-1 run for the Mustangs quickly closed out the third set with a 25-18 win, sending the game to a fourth set.
 
The Lions jumped out to a 12-8 lead in the fourth set. The Mustangs were down by four again before taking four straight points to tie things up at 17-17. A six-point run by the Lions then gave them a 23-17 advantage, eventually leading to a 25-20 win and a 3-1 match victory for the tournament hosts.
 
Maria Camila Salazar led the Mustangs with 17 kills and hit .324 in the match. Giulia La Longa added 14 kills and hit at a .333 clip. Maryorie Cruz Baez dished out 24 assists, while Daline Rios contributed 20. Nashally Eleutiza picked up a team-high 31 digs.
 
With the loss, the Mustangs are now in a win-or-go-home situation at the District L/M Championships. Monroe will play the winner of Snead State Community College vs. Lawson State Community College in Sunday's first match at 11 a.m. EST. The winner will advance to the Championship Match against Wallace State, and automatically qualify for the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Volleyball National Championship Tournament. The Mustangs would then need to defeat Wallace State twice to win the district tournament.
 
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).