NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., September 2, 2023 – The No. 18-ranked Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team had a flawless afternoon at the Monroe Athletic Complex on Saturday, defeating both Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Harford Community College in three sets apiece in a tri-match. The Mustangs improve to 7-4 overall with the two wins.
MATCH 1: #18 Monroe 3, FIT 0 (25-4, 25-3, 25-11)
The Mustangs made quick work of the Tigers in the opening set, rolling to a 25-4 win. The Mustangs held a 14-4 lead before rattling off the final 11 points of the game to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Tigers picked up the first point of the second set before the Mustangs went on a 9-0 run. After another point for FIT, the Mustangs scored another nine straight, including three aces by
Doriangelis Serrano Reynoso, to force the Tigers to take a timeout at 18-2. Serrano Reynoso added another kill as the Mustangs scored another five in a row after the timeout for a 23-3 edge before the Tigers got another point. The Mustangs then closed it out with two more kills for a 25-3 win and a 2-0 advantage in the match.
The third frame got off to a slow start for the Mustangs, as the score was tied early on, 5-5. Monroe then scored the next seven points to take a 12-5 edge, eventually going on another seven-point run to later go up, 19-7. The Mustangs then slowly made their way to the end of the match, wrapping things up with a 25-11 win to sweep the Tigers.
Gabriela Aimi Zuquelo led the Mustangs with nine kills in the win despite only playing the first two sets.
Rebecca Rosculet and
Kiara Figueroa matches with seven kills apiece.
Martina Villani dished out 17 assists, while
Francesca Andreon handed out 15 herself. Serrano Reynoso served up seven aces in the win, while Villani added four and Rosculet tallied three.
Alessia Gallo led the team with 12 digs.
Ariana De Jesus had a pair of blocks, while
Marilenny Lugo Polanco had one to go with her three kills.
MATCH 2: #18 Monroe 3, Harford 0 (25-18, 25-7, 25-14)
The Mustangs came flying out of the gate in their second match of the day, scoring the first 10 points of the opening frame against Harford. The Fighting Owls then managed to chip away at the deficit, getting as close as four points at 17-13. The Mustangs managed to keep their distance from there, holding on for a 25-18 win to take a 1-0 lead.
The second stanza got off to a slower start for Monroe, as the Fighting Owls jumped ahead with a 4-2 lead. The Mustangs then caught fire, going on a 17-1 run to take a huge 19-5 advantage. They later went on a 6-1 stretch to earn a dominant 25-7 win and go up, 2-0.
The third game saw Harford once again take a 4-2 lead, but the Mustangs turned things around with seven straight points for a 9-2 edge. The Fighting Owls were still within striking distance at 14-9 before another seven in a row for Monroe put the home team up, 21-9. The teams then traded points down the stretch, giving Monroe a 25-14 win to close it out in three.
Manon Braunsteffer matched her career high with 12 kills in the win. Zuquelo was close behind at 11, completing a double-double with 11 digs. Figueroa tallied nine kills and a pair of aces in the match. Villani tacked on another 24 assists to go with three aces and two digs, while Andreon added 13 assists and a block. Gallo led the team with 17 digs and matched Villiani and Serrano Reynoso with three aces.
The Mustangs will head back to Florida next weekend to compete in the Hillsborough Hawks Florida Challenge in Tampa. They open the weekend on Friday, Sept. 8, with an 11 a.m. match with host Hillsborough Community College, followed later by a matchup with Daytona State College at 4 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 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
