COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, October 16, 2021 – Facing another pair of top-ranked teams at the Dennis South Memorial Classic, hosted by Iowa Western Community College, the Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team dropped a pair of three-set matches to Division II No. 5 Johnson County Community College and No. 2 Iowa Western on Saturday. The Mustangs drop to 27-7 overall with the pair of losses.
 
MATCH 1: D2 #5 Johnson County 3, Monroe 0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-16)
The Mustangs had a tough time with the Cavaliers on Saturday, falling to the No. 5-ranked team in NJCAA Division II in three sets. Yaliancis Flores and Masoomeh Angooti matched for a team-high five kills in the match, adding six and seven digs, respectively. Laura Paniagua led the team with 19 digs, while Leanisse Solano picked up 11 and Alisha Callender registered 10. Callender also dished out eight assists, while Lyanis Rios led the Mustangs in that category with 12. Alondra Ramos and Delaney Killeen matched with two blocks apiece.
 
MATCH 2: #2 Iowa Western 3, Monroe 0 (28-26, 25-22, 25-19)
The Mustangs then came to play against the No. 2-ranked team in the NJCAA to close out the weekend. Though the result was still a three-set defeat, the Mustangs pushed the Reivers in every game to show they could hang with the nation's top teams.
 
Solano and Flores matched for a team-best nine kills in this one, with Solano adding 10 digs. Callender totaled seven kills, 11 assists, two aces and 17 digs. Rios handed out 12 assists, served up three aces and scooped up six digs. Paniagua led the team again with 25 digs, adding seven assists and a pair of aces.
 
The Mustangs will return home and play at the Monroe Athletic Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 19, when they host Nassau Community College for Sophomore Night, where the Mustangs will honor their sophomores prior to the match. Tuesday's match is set to begin at 6 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 39 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 18 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).