JACKSONVILLE, Fla., September 29, 2021 – A four-day, four-match trip down to Florida got off to a solid start on Wednesday, as the Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team defeated host Florida State College at Jacksonville in three sets. The Mustangs improve to 20-3 overall with their 14th straight victory, while the Blue Wave falls to 6-6.
 
A number of big runs in the opening set got things going on the right foot for the Mustangs. They opened up with a 6-1 lead, and shortly after picked up 4-of-5 points to hold a 10-4 edge. Later in the game, six straight points gave Monroe a 20-9 advantage. The Blue Wave chipped away at the deficit a bit, but the Mustangs carried enough momentum for a 25-17 win and a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
The Mustangs once again got off to a good start in the second stanza, using a four-point run to take an 8-3 lead. Taking 6-of-7 points later in the set put Monroe ahead, 19-9. Five in a row gave the Mustangs set point at 24-10, eventually closing it out with a 25-11 win to go up, 2-0.
 
Florida State Jacksonville took an early lead in the third frame, going up 5-3, before the Mustangs jumped back into the lead at 6-5. Monroe later led, 9-6, but the Blue Wave quickly tied it up with three straight. After a 12-12 stalemate, Monroe picked up six of the next seven points to gain a five-point advantage. The Blue Wave cut the deficit to three, but a five-point run by Monroe was the dagger in the match. The home team picked up one more point before the Mustangs finished things off with a 25-17 win for a straight set victory on the evening.
 
Leanisse Solano led the way with 14 kills in the win, adding five digs. Masoomeh Angooti was close behind with 11 kills, picking up eight digs and two aces as well. Alondra Ramos followed with 10 kills and a team-best .600 hitting percentage. Alisha Callender completed another double-double with 14 assists and a team-high 14 digs. Lyanis Rios passed out a team-leading 20 assists to go with five digs and two aces. Laura Paniagua contributed 13 digs, seven assists and a service ace in the win.
 
The Mustangs get a day to relax in the Florida sun on Thursday before getting back to business on Friday, Oct. 1, at Eastern Florida State College. The Mustangs and Titans will go head-to-head 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).