Despite a first set win on Sunday evening, the Siena Saints volleyball team dropped their second match of the weekend as they fell to the Iona Gaels by a final of 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 22-25, 20-25). 

Leading the way for the Saints was freshman Isabella Ultsch who notched 14 kills. Sophomores Maddy Dunigan and Abby Huffman each put up nine kills as well, with Dunigan hitting a team-best .412. Freshman Maria Llinas tossed around 40 assists, while classmate Gracie Halley led the team with 11 digs.

Jamie Smith and Karla Johnson provided the Iona offense, as Smith collected a match-high 16 kills, while Johnson scored 14 kills. Smith added 12 digs to complete a double-double, while Tess Connolly and Jessica Paolucci each snagged 14 digs. Smith and Julia Thomas also each added five blocks on the match.

"Our team played so hard tonight," said head coach Vilis Ozols. "So many of those plays could have hone either way and we gave a great effort regardless of the outcome."

The first set was a hard fought win for the Saints, as they trailed for much of the set until late in the set. After a Siena attack error, the Gaels took an 18-15 lead. From that point, the Saints would run off points in eight of the next nine rallies to swing a 23-19 lead. The Green and Gold would finish things off, as Ultsch collected her sixth kill of the first set to put Siena up 1-0 with the 25-22 win.

The script would flip in the second set, as Siena would lose their touch to the tune of four attack errors in the first six points to give the Gaels an early 6-0 lead. The set would snowball in favor of Iona, as they hit at a .560 clip the rest of the way in the set to take a 25-15 win. The Gaels would finish the set with 15 kills and only one attack error. 

The third and fourth sets would be barnburners, as the Saints battled despite the results in favor of Iona. In the third, Siena would snag a 17-14 lead after a kill from freshman Sol Guidarelli. Iona would then turn a three point Siena lead into a two point Iona lead after a 6-1 run over the next seven rallies. Johnson would finish off the set as the Gaels did not give up the lead through the end of the set, winning 25-22 to go up 2-1. Iona would finish off the match with similar results in the fourth, as points came in clumps for both sides. A Siena attack error ended the set and the match, as the Gaels took the fourth set 25-20 for the 3-1 win.

The Saints return to action on Tuesday, October 22 when they return to the Alumni Recreation Center to take on crosstown rival UAlbany. First serve for the match is set for 7 p.m.