Molloy University Athletics

Rockville Centre, NY- The volleyball team returned to Bob Houlihan Court this evening with a three-set sweep of Caldwell University. The game marks the team's first 3-0 victory of the 2026 campaign. The win takes the Lions to 2-4 on the season while Caldwell falls to 2-3.

Molloy 25, Caldwell 16
Molloy 25, Caldwell 17
Molloy 25, Caldwell 12

How it Happened

• After an initial back-and-forth the Lions rallied off six-straight points to go in front 7-2, featuring kills fom senior Erin Stanley and freshman Emma Kappaz. 
• The Cougars would come within three, 9-6, but a five-point rally followed by a 6-1 run surged the home team in front, 20-9, to put the set away.
• Caldwell would take the first three points of the second set and would lead by as much as 6-2. Two kills from Stanley as part of a four-point streak from Molloy knotted the score.
• The set would be tied two more times before six unanswered points, including a kill and block from both freshman Peyton Douglas and Kailie Girard as well as an ace from Kappaz gave Molloy an insurmountable 14-8 lead.
• The visitors would lead early in the third set, 5-2. Molloy responded with two kills from Kappaz, two kills from Stanley, a block from Stanley and Douglas, and an ace from junior Franki Kelleher to go ahead 9-5.
• Caldwell would manage to work the score within three, but multiple lengthy runs from the Lions guided the team to the victory.

Top Performances

• Stanley led with 14 kills. Kelleher followed with seven while Kappaz added six. 
• Senior Hayden Riddle totaled 20 assists and added six digs. Freshman Olivia Smith reached double digits with 10 assists.
• Freshman Isabella Smith led the team with 12 digs while Kelleher tallied a career-high 11.
• Douglas put up five blocks, including two solos, while Girard added three. 
• Kappaz's two aces led the Lions.

Up Next
The Lions will head on the road for the first time in 2026 this weekend for the annual East Region Clash at American International College in Springfield, MA. The competition begins Friday (Sept. 11) with matches against the University of Bridgeport (1 PM) and AIC (3 PM).