Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Sept. 1, 2017) – The women's volleyball team opened up the 2017 season with two wins, claiming a 3-0 victory over Merrimack College before defeating Chestnut Hill 3-1. In the two contests, redshirt sophomore Carly Banks (Camas, Wash.) combined for a team-leading 27 kills, including a career-high 19 against Chestnut Hill. Sophomore setter Sophia Smith (Georgetown, Texas) matched her career-high for assists against the Griffins, totaling 50.

Game One: Molloy 3, Merrimack 0
Set One: Molloy 25, Merrimack 19
Set Two: Molloy 25, Merrimack 8
Set Three: Molloy 25, Merrimack 20

In the first set, the teams exchanged kills with Molloy eventually jumping out to a 19-10 lead. The Warriors rallied to come within five, 20-15, but the Lions took five of the final 10 points to take the first set.

The momentum extended into the second set, as Castellano served up four aces on the way to a 12-0 lead. Merrimack put eight points on the board before Castellano was up again to serve, adding two addition aces as the Lions took the second set 25-8.

Molloy jumped out to an early lead, 7-1, in the third and final set. While the Warriors came within one, 12-11, the early deficit would be too much to overcome. The Lions went on to take the set and the game.

Sophomore Hailey Wehr (Wading River, N.Y.) led with 11 kills while Smith tallied 27 assists. Castellano led the squad in both aces (7) and digs (11) while sophomore Devon Hagerstrom (Bethpage, N.Y.) matched a career-high seven blocks.

Game Two: Molloy 3, Chestnut Hill 1
Set One: Molloy 25, Chestnut Hill 23
Set Two: Chestnut Hill 26, Molloy 24
Set Three: Molloy 25, Chestnut Hill 22
Set Four: Molloy 25, Chestnut Hill 18

The Lions and the Griffins see-sawed back and forth through the first two sets, with neither team establishing a lead greater than two points.

In the third set, the game tied 1-1, Molloy jumped out to a 10-2 lead with kills from Banks and freshman Kacey Affrunti (Levittown, N.Y.). Chestnut Hill rallied to tie the score 17-17 before taking a 22-19 lead. The maroon and white rallied for five straight points to go ahead 2-1, claiming a 25-22 victory in the set.

The Lions once again strung together an early lead in the final set, going ahead 11-4. The Griffins would come within one, 16-15, but fell victim to the early rally by Molloy, dropping the set 25-18 to give the maroon and white a four-set victory.

Banks led all attackers with 19 kills, while Hagerstrom added five more blocks on the evening. Senior libero Dakota O'Neill (Long Beach, N.Y.) led the team with 20 digs.

Molloy returns to the court tomorrow (Sept. 2) in their second tri-match in as many days. The Lions will first face Le Moyne College (1-1) at 10:00 a.m. before taking on Nyack College (0-2) at 2:00 p.m.