Iona VB Splits Final Matches Of 2014

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

NewImage

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – The Iona College volleyball team split its two matches in the consolation round of the 2014 MAAC Championship at HP Pavilion in ESPN’s Wide World of Sports. The Gaels topped Quinnipiac in five sets before dropping a three-set decision to Niagara. With the loss to the Purple Eagles, the 2014 campaign comes to a close.

In the opener, Iona defeated Quinnipiac 25-27, 25-15, 25-17, 16-25, 15-6. Freshman OH Kassandra Darnaby led the Gaels with 18 kills, a .485 hitting percentage and with two aces, had a team-best 20.0 points. Senior OH Catrina Warren hit .310 with 15 kills, nine digs, and two blocks. Sophomore MB Karly White posted nine kills and five blocks, while senior RS Taylor Cembalisty had seven kills, six blocks and a team-best 17 digs. Senior setter Caris Myles posted 45 assists, six kills and five digs. Senior libero Katie Marabella added 15 digs in the win.

The Bobcats were led by 13 kills and a .455 hitting percentage from Cheyenne Orsi. Libero Nicole Millilo had 17 digs and setters Cody Michaels and Sierra Dawson combined for 40 assists.

Niagara took out Iona in straight sets 25-19, 25-23, 25-19 in the second match of the day for the Gaels. Warren posted 12 kills and 22 digs, Cembalisty had nine kills and 15 digs, and Darnaby added seven kills and seven digs to lead the Maroon & Gold offensively. Myles had 27 assists and five digs and Marabella closed out her career with 25 digs in the loss.

Three different Purple Eagles posted eight kills. Setter Alexis Gray had 28 assists and 10 digs and libero Rylee Hunt posted 27 digs.

Warren finished her career at No. 3 on Iona’s all-time kill list with 1,329, No. 9 with 100 aces and 1,041 digs. She was fifth in total blocks 296 and No. 2 with 1,608 points. Warren is one of three players in program history to record 1,000+ kills and 1,000+ digs joining Ann Bonner ’97 and Kathy Kunath ’03 in the exclusive club.

Two of other seniors also finished in the Top 10 in program history in a statistic. Marabella’s 1,140 career digs ranks No. 7 all-time while Myles 1,559 assists is No. 8.