LOUDONVILLE – Multiple standout efforts were on display at the Alumni Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon, as the Siena Saints topped the Quinnipiac Bobcats 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-10) in come-from-behind form. The Saints would trail 2-1 after three, and took the final two sets for their second straight win of the season.
 
Freshman Madoka Weldon had the best game of her young collegiate career, playing "the right place at the right time" game to the tune of a season-high 24 digs. Freshman Ally-Reese Williams had a big match with 16 kills and eight digs, and classmate Maria Llinas ran the offense and collected 43 assists and 12 digs for a double-double. As a team, the Saints totaled 14 blocks, with sophomores Maddy Dunigan and Abby Huffman each played a huge role in that. Dunigan had her hand in seven blocks while also collecting nine kills. Huffman had a hand in six blocks to pair with four kills.
 
For Quinnipiac, Maggie Maker owned the offense with 18 kills and 14 digs for a double-double. Morgan Sherwin also collected a double-double for the Bobcats with 14 kills and 12 digs, while Kaleigh Oates had 10 kills and four blocks. Senior Alejandra Rodriguez had a team-high 20 digs on the match, while Lauren Miller chipped in with 14.
 
"There were so many examples during that match of the "game within the game" back and forth shifts in the serving game, passing game, and just pure momentum shifts," said head coach Vilis Ozols. "The team should be so proud of the way they played and persevered playing some of their best ball when the match was the tightest."
 
The tone of the match would get set right off the bat in the first set. With the score in favor of Quinnipiac, the Saints were able to get a small 4-0 run to take a 14-11 lead. The momentum would fall right back in favor of the Bobcats, who scored the next six of seven points to reclaim the lead at 17-15. Just like a pendulum, Siena would score another five points in a row to take a 20-17 lead. Siena would compete strong as Quinnipiac came back within one, but thanks to a kill from Huffman, led 24-20. After a Quinnipiac timeout, the Bobcats scored three kills in a row to make the score 24-23. However, Williams would shut the door on the set with a kill to give the Saints a 25-23 win, and 1-0 lead.
 
Quinnipiac would end up taking both sets two and three from the Saints. A huge 11-4 run in the second set helped set up the win for the Bobcats, as they staved off a late Siena run by the score of 25-21. The Bobcats pounced in the third set as well, taking an early 7-2 lead. However, the Saints closed the gap and even took a 14-12 lead midway through. The Bobcats responded with a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead, and never gave back the lead taking the 25-18 win.
 
In the fourth set, it looked that Quinnipiac might close out the match with the win, coming out strong to a 16-11 lead as Baker continued her clutch run through the Saints defense. But junior Nicole Deobler snagged a kill, which led a Siena trek back in the right direction with an 8-1 run to take a 19-17 lead. With neither team giving an inch, the Saints closed out the set with kills from Deobler and Llinas to force the fifth set.
 
The Green and Gold stole momentum early, taking an 8-5 lead early thanks to multiple Quinnipiac attack errors. The Saints collected only two kills in the back end of the set, one from Huffman and another from freshman Sol Guidarelli which forced match point. Siena took advantage of multiple Quinnipiac errors and also collected numerous blocks, which included the match's final point. Guidarelli and Dunigan would slide and stuff Oates in the middle for the Bobcats to seal the second straight win for the Green and Gold.
 
Siena returns to the court tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 22 when they play host to the Fairfield Stags in the Alumni Recreation Center. First serve is set for 1:06 PM, as the match will be televised on ESPN3.