Oct. 16, 2010
Final Stats
The Siena volleyball team dropped its fourth consecutive match Saturday, falling in straight sets (25-23, 25-17 and 25-20) at Iona. It was the Saints' sixth MAAC loss in their last seven league contests.
Freshman Taylor Akana continued to make her bid for MAAC Rookie of the Year, leading all players with 14 kills, and rounding out her seventh double-double of the season with 17 digs. Her effort was not nearly enough.
Both teams finished with 35 kills, but Iona tallied seven service aces and the aggressive-serving Saints (4-14/3-6) had none. The Gaels (13-6/7-2) also doubled up the Saints at the net, controlling a commanding 10-5 edge in blocks.
Colleen Gennett and Rachel Whitten led the balanced Iona attack with eight kills each. Libero Allison Nieters led all players with 24 kills, increasing her league leading total in that category.
As the MAAC season reaches its halfway point, the Saints need to make some adjustments if they hope to compete for a Championship next month. Preseason All-MAAC selection Aubrey Bobo has not played since suffering a concussion in the season-opener at Texas A&M. Her return is uncertain, and would certainly make a big difference, especially since the Saints have found a rising star in Akana. But time is running thin, and Siena needs to find the chemistry it had when it knocked off defending MAAC Champion Niagara at home a month ago (without Bobo).
The silver lining is the fact that all 10 teams qualify for this year's Championships which will be contested at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Celebration, Fla. Tomorrow Siena takes on archrival Fairfield on the road.
