DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., September 8, 2018 – The Monroe College women's volleyball team closed out its trip to the Daytona State College Invitational on Saturday by splitting its final two matches of the weekend. The Mustangs fell to Palm Beach State College in four sets before picking up a three-set victory over Pensacola State College. The Mustangs leave Florida with a 1-4 record after a weekend of tough competition.
 
MATCH 1: Palm Beach State 3, Monroe 1
The Mustangs kept things close with the Panthers in the first set, trailing 13-10 before Palm Beach State scored five in a row to take an 18-10 lead. Both teams went back-and-forth down the stretch run, but the Mustangs were unable to come back, falling 25-18.
 
The Mustangs came out firing in the second set, running out to a 6-1 lead. The Panthers fought back, taking the next five to tie it up, but Monroe took another three in a row to take a 9-6 edge. The Mustangs were holding tight to a 19-17 lead late in the frame, but managed to secure the final six points of the game for a 25-17 win, tying the match at one set apiece.
 
Monroe was leading 15-12 midway through the third game, but the Panthers rattled off seven straight points to go ahead, 19-15. The Mustangs got back within two at 23-21 later on, but the Panthers took the final two points for a 25-21 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
An eight-point run early in the fourth stanza gave Palm Beach State a 12-5 advantage. Monroe was able to draw within four a few different times in the set, but the Panthers ultimately claimed a 25-19 victory to win the match.
 
Maria Camila Salazar and Karla Figueroa each had nine kills for the Mustangs in Saturday's opener, with Salazar hitting .381 in the match and adding three total blocks. Maryorie Cruz Baez dished out a team-high 18 assists, while Alexis Baer handed out 16 of her own. Nashally Eleutiza led the team with 14 digs.
 
MATCH 2: Monroe 3, Pensacola State 0
The first set saw plenty of back-and-forth action in Saturday's finale, reaching a 15-15 stalemate. The Mustangs were holding on to a 19-18 lead before securing six of the final eight points to pick up a 25-20 win to start the match.
 
The Pirates picked up the first point of the second set, but it was all Mustangs after that, starting with an 11-1 run for Monroe. Leading 14-8, Monroe scored 5-of-6 points to go up, 19-9. The Mustangs netted the final five points of the game to earn a 25-11 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
A 4-0 run early on put the Mustangs ahead of the Pirates, 7-4. Another four-point run made it 11-6, but four straight points for Pensacola State later in the frame put the Pirates ahead, 16-15. The Mustangs then one-upped the Pirates, banking six in a row to take a 21-16 edge before going on to clinch the match with a 25-18 win.
 
Figueroa threw down 10 kills to lead the Mustangs in the win, adding nine digs to her afternoon. Baer led with 12 assists, while Cruz Baez added 10 herself. Eleutiza picked up 21 digs in the victory. Julia Alves tallied five kills and three total blocks. Eleutiza served up three aces, while Figueroa got two of her own.
 
The Mustangs will now return to New Rochelle for their home opener on Tuesday, Sept. 11, against Fashion Institute of Technology at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, and the newly added club men's volleyball team, 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).