Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. – For the sixth time in eight seasons, the Molloy women's volleyball team will be competing in the East Coast Conference Final, topping the Wildcats of Daemen University, 3-1, this evening from the Neil Judge Athletic Center on the campus of Mercy University. The victory sets up a rematch of the regular season finale against the top-seeded Mavericks of Mercy tomorrow (Nov. 22) at 5:00 p.m.

Before the game, graduate student Julia Zalta was awarded the ECC's Elite 20 Award, given to the student-athlete competing in a conference championship with the highest grade point average. Zalta, a dual degree student pursuing a Master's in healthcare administration, was bestowed the honor for her 4.0 GPA.
 
Molloy 25, Daemen 18
Daemen 28, Molloy 26
Molloy 25, Daemen 20
Molloy 25, Daemen 19
 
How it Happened

• The Lions took an early 5-2 advantage that saw kills from junior Erin Stanley, sophomore Isabella Rios, and senior Ilaria Micol Chiericati.
• The Wildcats would come within one on two occasions, including as late as 14-13.
• Following a timeout from Head Coach Steve Woessner, the Lions pulled in front by as many as five points that helped guide them to an opening set victory. The Lions attacked at a .310 clip and forced Daemen to a negative hitting percentage to take the set.
• The second set would find the score tied on 15 occasions, forcing the teams to go past 25 points. Knotted at 26, a kill from Nahirka Malpica and a block from Molly Ryan gave the Wildcats the necessary two-point advantage to take the set and tie the contest.
• After the back-and-forth scoring continued into the third set, two kills from Chiericati and one from freshman Haven Trechter gave the Lions a 9-6 advantage.  Daemen would work the score back within one, but five-straight kills from the combination of Rios, graduate student Julia Zalta, and junior Hayden Riddle made the score 14-8 – a lead the Lions would maintain through the end of the set.
• Kills from Trechter and senior Teresa Moulder paired with an ace from Rios gave Molloy a 5-2 lead early in set four. Three-straight points from Daemen knotted the score.
• The teams would be tied three more times until consistent blocking from both Chiericati and Moulder combined with strong serving from Chiericati pushed Molloy ahead, 12-8.
• The Wildcats would come within one, 16-15, but the Lions would score the next four and hold onto a lead through the end of the set.

Top Performances

• Rios led the Lions with 12 kills and added nine digs, two blocks, and a service ace.
• Stanley followed with 11 kills.
• Chiericati hit at a match-best .615 clip, totaling eight kills on 13 attempts with no errors and adding five blocks, four digs, and an ace.
• Moulder topped the contest with six blocks and added seven kills.
• Zalta had a double-double with 25 assists and 10 digs while adding eight kills. Junior Hayden Riddle also had a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs.
• Trechter rounded out Molloy's scoring with seven kills and topped the score sheet with four service aces.

Up Next
Molloy will take on Mercy for the ECC Championship tomorrow (Nov. 22) at 5:00 p.m. from the Neil Judge Athletic Center.