Sept. 19, 2015
Final Stats
It took a while for Siena volleyball to find its stride Saturday, but once it did there was no stopping the Saints. Siena swept Iona 3-0 (25-22, 25-11 and 25-15) in its MAAC opener, looking every bit the part of a team ready to fight to defend its title.
Briana Flagg was the only player on either team to reach double figures in kills, and she finished with 17 thanks to a season-high .452 attack percentage. Flagg also received 15 serves without an error and added six digs.
Junior setter Haley Howell was on top of her game as well, dishing out 34 assists to go along with her two aces and seven digs. Howell also killed all four of her attacks.
After struggling with a .077 attack percentage in the first set, the Saints hit .471 in the second and .333 in the third. Siena played solid defense as well, getting 13 digs from junior Bobbi Lin Kalama and 12 from fellow Hawaiian classmate Kalehua Katagiri. The Saints controlled an 8-3 edge in blocks despite losing starting middle Christina Monroe midway through the first set to an ankle injury.
Iona freshman libero Jessica Paolucci led all players with 14 digs in a losing effort.
The first set was back and forth throughout and was tied at 22 before back-to-back attack errors by the Gaels set the stage for Sonja Vasovic to end the set with a kill. The Saints led just 8-6 in the second set before winning four straight points behind the service of Kalama which helped turn the tide of the match. Vasovic had three straight kills to end the set and give the Saints a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Vasovic joined sophomore Samantha Pethokoukis with eight kills each for the Saints.
Siena dominated play in the decisive third set jumping out to a 13-6 lead on their way to an easy 25-15 triumph.
The Saints will try for the weekend sweep Sunday against Manhattan. First serve in the ARC is set for 1 p.m.
