SPARTANBURG, S.C., September 16, 2022 – After a challenging weekend out in Idaho last week, the Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team got off to a fresh start down in South Carolina on Friday, defeating USC Sumter in three sets to kick off the Spartanburg Methodist College Classic. The Mustangs improve to 15-6 overall with the win, while the Fire Ants drop to 0-8.
After a close start to the opening set, a 4-3 Mustang lead soon became 11-4 after a 7-1 run for Monroe. The lead reached nine points at 15-6, but a 4-1 run for the Fire Ants made it a six-point game. Monroe went on to score 7-of-8 points to go up, 22-11, before closing things out with a 25-16 win to go up, 1-0, in the match.
Monroe got off to a great start in the second stanza, taking an early 7-1 edge. The Mustangs made it an 11-point set when they went up, 14-3. Shortly after, Monroe went on a 9-1 run to force set point at 24-7. USC Sumter got one more point, but the Mustangs got the next to close out the game with a 25-8 win, taking a two-set lead in the match.
The third frame was close in the early goings, with the Mustangs holding a narrow 7-6 lead. Monroe then went on an 11-0 run to go up, 18-6, for an insurmountable lead. The teams traded points from that point on, seeing the Mustangs close it out with a 25-11 win for the three-game sweep.
Gabriela Aimi Zuquelo finished with 10 kills and hit a ridiculous .769 to lead the Mustangs in the win, adding three aces and five digs as well.
Doriangelis Serrano Reynoso and
Leanisse Solano each had five kills in the match, with Solano hitting at a .625 clip.
Francesca Andreon dished out 20 assists in the match, while
Maja Diop handed out 12 herself. Diop added three aces, while Andreon served up two.
Laura Paniagua led the team with 15 digs in the match.
Izabela Wos and
Manon Braunsteffer matched with a team-high three blocks on Friday. Braunsteffer also had four digs and hit .667.
The Mustangs wrap up their trip to Spartanburg with two more matches on Saturday, Sept. 17. They take on host Spartanburg Methodist tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., followed immediately after by a match against USC Lancaster at 12 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well 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 11 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).
