LOUDONVILLE, NY – Dakota Jackson registered a career-high 18 kills and freshmen Maria Llinas and Ally-Reese Williams added double-doubles as Siena Volleyball dispatched defending MAAC Champion Iona in four sets (26-24, 24-26, 25-17, 25-16) at the Alumni Recreation Center.
 
"The team played a complete match today both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball," said head coach Vilis Ozols. "Dakota had an outstanding attacking match, and then we had five players in double digit digs. It was a very nice effort today."
 
Jackson finished 38% of her attacks for Siena (11-17, 6-11) which posted its second-best attack percentage of the season at .299. Williams finished 44% of her attacks in adding 13 kills and 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season for the upstart Saints, which have now posted a seven-win improvement from last season while tripling their conference win total. The young and vastly improving Saints, who were predicted to finish last in the MAAC following a 10^th place finish in 2018, have assured themselves of no worse than a seventh place finish.
 
Jamie Smith tallied 17 kills for Iona (5-23, 5-13), which settled for a split of the season series after notching a 3-1 victory last month in New Rochelle.
 
The Gaels rattled off four straight points late in a see-saw first set to force set point at 24-23. But Siena dug deep and responded with the next three points capped by back-to-back kills from freshman Sol Guidarelli to take the 26-24 triumph.
 
Iona finished its attacks at a 42% rate to claim as much as a six-point advantage in the second set, only to see the Saints battle back with a late 5-1 run to force set point at 24-22. However, this time Iona returned the favor from the first set in scoring the final four points to score a 26-24 win.
 
As hot as the Gaels were in the second set, they were equally cold thereafter and hit at a negative percentage in the third set. Siena took advantage with an early 10-3 run to take a 13-7 lead and didn't look back in a 25-17 victory.
 
The fourth and final set took on a similar look to third, with the Saints powering through for their best output of the day in killing 38% of their attacks. Siena raced out to a 9-3 advantage and cruised from there to finish off Iona 25-16.
 
Llinas tallied her 11^th double-double of the season with 35 assists and 11 digs for the Saints, and combined with Maddy Dunigan to lead the team in being a part of six blocks. Dunigan added nine kills.
 
Siena wraps up regular season action tomorrow at the ARC, when the Saints host Manhattan on Senior Day at 2 p.m. Siena will honor its seniors Kelly Chaney, Jessica Eblin, and Justine Torre in a special ceremony just prior to first serve.