LOUDONVILLE, NY – The Siena Volleyball team got into the win column on Saturday afternoon, as the Saints defeated the Iona Gaels by a final score of 3-2 (16-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-23, 15-10) at the UHY Center. Senior Maddy Dunigan had one of her best showings of the season, putting up 15 kills and four assisted blocks. The match would be Siena's third five-set matchup in their last five matches.
 
"It was so nice to see our team battle for that first victory today," said head coach Vilis Ozols. "Maddy Dunigan as a senior was huge for us today. I thought MJ [Meghan Johnsson] ran the offense really really well and the pins – Greta, Olga, and Emily – did a really good job from the attacking standpoint. Defensively, we also did some nice things both blocking – particularly Abby and Maddy – and with our defensive specialists – Gracie, Grace, and Madoka."
 
Dunigan's 15 kills are a new season-high, as she was one of four Saints with double-digit kills. Freshman Olga Sawinska added 12 kills, while Emily Wunder and Greta Stjade each finished with 10 kills. Stjade also chipped in 12 digs for her second double-double of the season. Junior Gracie Halley led the defensive effort with 17 digs, while Wunder added five assisted blocks. Running the offense to victory was sophomore Meghan Johnsson, as she finished with 45 total assists.
 
Iona was led by a double-double by Cassandra Patsos, as she collected 13 kills and 19 digs. Jen Soto led the offense with 15 total kills, with Emily Jacobs added 11 kills. Hope Matschner led the defensive effort for the Gaels with 20 digs. The Gaels struggled on the attack in all three of their defeating sets, hitting in the negative twice and .071 which came in the third set.
 
It would be all Iona in the first set, as the Gaels used a key 6-0 run midway through to open up a big lead. They would take the set 25-16, going up 1-0. The Saints battled back in the second, as the errors stacked up for the Gaels early. With the score tied 4-4, the Gaels had four straight attack errors before Huffman knocked down a kill to cap a 5-0 run as the Saints then led 9-4. Siena continued to hold a lead throughout the set, putting a bow on it with a 6-1 run to close the set for a 25-16 win to even things at 1-1.
 
The third set brought close action throughout the length, as neither side grabbed a lead larger than three until the Saints scored three straight points to break a 17-all tie and turn it into a 20-17 score. Iona would bring it back to 21-19, but the Saints got back-to-back kills by Dunigan and a service ace from Johnsson to bring Siena to set point, 24-19. After Iona got a point on a Siena attack error, Dunigan finished off the set with a kill to put Siena ahead 2-1 with the 25-23 win.
 
In the fourth, it would be Iona grinding out a win to even the score at 2-2 and force a fifth set. With the set score at 23-22 in favor of the Saints after a kill from Dunigan, the Gaels got a pair of kills from Fleur Wiersma and Nerin Valasakos to come within a point of victory at 24-23. The Saints then hit an attack error, giving Iona three straight points and the win in the fourth set 25-23.
 
The Green and Gold took advantage early and often in the fifth set, scoring six straight points after going down 3-1 to make it 7-3 in their favor. That run would create all the space Siena would need, as they traded points with Iona down the stretch. With the score 14-10 in favor of Siena, Iona would serve one into the net, clinching the Saints first win of the season.
 
The Saints return to action tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. when they Green and Gold play host to Manhattan in the UHY Center.