Molloy University Athletics

Sparkill, NY- The volleyball team battled against St. Thomas Aquinas this evening, forcing a fifth set but ultimately falling 3-2 in the match. With the loss the Lions drop to 11-14 (6-5 ECC), and the Spartans improve to 10-13 (5-6 ECC).
 
St. Thomas Aquinas 25, Molloy 18
Molloy 26, St. Thomas Aquinas 24
St. Thomas Aquinas 25, Molloy 22
Molloy 25, St. Thomas Aquinas 23
St. Thomas Aquinas 15, Molloy 10
 
How it Happened

• The Lions opened the scoring with a point off an attacking error by Santini Greta.
• St. Thomas Aquinas responded, capitalizing on two Molloy errors and a kill from Adriana Zarceno to take an early 3-1 lead.
• The Lions battled back to tie the score twice, highlighted by kills from senior Erin Stanley, before a 6-2 Spartan run gave the home team a 10-6 advantage.
• A combination of Spartan errors and kills from sophomore Haven Trechter, Stanley, juniors Franki Kelleher and Isabella Rios, and freshman Kailie Girard helped Molloy close the gap to 23-18.
• Back-to-back kills from Zarceno and Amelie Gasche secured the final two points for the Spartans to claim the opening set.
• The Lions jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the second set.
• The Spartans evened the score at 5-5, but kills from Rios and Girard helped the Lions regain a 10-8 advantage.
• The second set remained tightly contested, with the score being tied eight more times, all the way up to  22-22.
• A service error and a kill from Trechter put Molloy one point away from the set win at 24-22. However, following a St. Thomas Aquinas timeout, a kill from Christianna Roberts and an attacking error brought the Spartans back up to 24-24.
• An attacking error by Santini, followed by a kill from Kelleher, gave the Lions the two consecutive points needed to secure the set and even the match at 1-1.
• The third set featured four ties before the Spartans gained momentum with a 5-1 run to take an 11-7 lead.
• A kill from Girard and a service ace from freshman Isabella Smith brought Molloy within one, but another extended Spartan run pushed the deficit to 20-13.
• The Lions continued to battle, with three kills from Girard and another from Kelleher helping Molloy pull within two at 24-22, but a setting error ended the set in favor of the home team.
• St. Thomas Aquinas opened the fourth set with a 4-1 advantage.
• The cardinal and white responded with a 7-1 run, aided by five Spartan errors and kills from Trechter and Stanley, to take an 8-5 lead.
• The Spartans battled back to even the score at 11-11 before three kills from Girard, another from Stanley, and a service ace from Rios helped the Lions regain a 16-13 advantage.
• Kills from Gasche and Zarceno helped St. Thomas Aquinas regain the lead at 19-17.
• Molloy rallied to take the fourth set and force a decisive fifth set, fueled by another three kills from Girard and a service ace from Smith.
• St. Thomas Aquinas jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the fifth, powered by kills from Eghosa Ikhinmwin, Gasche, and Greta.
• Freshman Peyton Douglas, and Stanley helped the Lions battle back to even the score at 5-5.
• The Spartans regained control with a 5-2 run to take an 11-8 advantage.
• Back-to-back kills from Girard brought the Lions within one, but three Molloy errors and an ace from Stepanka Bicistova sealed the 15-11 set victory and a 3-2 match win for St. Thomas Aquinas.

 
Top Performances

• Girard led with 17 kills, adding two digs and two blocks.
• Stanley followed with 10 kills, as well as a career-best eight blocks (1 solo, 7 assisted).
• Rios led the defense with 20 digs, and recorded four kills and an ace.
• Douglas recorded a career-high nine blocks.
• Smith had three aces, 14 digs, and two assists.
• Senior Hayden Riddle and freshman Olivia Smith both had 20 assists, with Riddle adding an ace and five digs.
• Trechter added eight kills, 11 digs, and two blocks.
• Kelleher contributed five kills, four blocks, and two digs.

 
Up Next
The Lions close out the regular season on the road this Saturday (Nov. 7), taking on Daemen University. First serve is set for 11:00 a.m.