The Quinnipiac Bobcats (1-11, 0-2 MAAC) were able to force a fifth and final set, but the Iona Gaels (4-8, 1-1 MAAC) held on to win 3-2. After dropping their first MAAC game of the year against Manhattan College 3-1, the Bobcats looked to bounce back against the Gaels. The Gaels took an early 2-0 lead, but the Bobcats battled back to make it a game.
In the first set, both teams went back and forth as neither team were able to pull away. Sophomores Katie Urycki and Allison Leigh worked hard to keep the Bobcats in the set. Sophomore libero Cody Michaels also came up big for the Bobcats, making crucial digs and allowing the ball to be set up for Leigh and Urycki to kill.
The Gaels made their living while Leigh was on the bench. Leigh, standing at 6 foot 3, is always a defensive specialist due to her incredible blocking ability. The Gaels were able to take advantage with Leigh out of the game. They also capitalized on several service faults, winning the first set 25-19.
The second set began with several costly mistakes by the Gaels as the Bobcats built a 6-1 lead early in the set. This early lead was quickly erased as the Gaels cut down on their mistakes and forced the Bobcats to make plays. Both teams went back and forth all the way to the end of the second set when Iona’s Catrina Warren blasted a kill past the Bobcats to win the set 25-23.
With their backs to the wall down 2-0, the Bobcats needed to find a way to bounce back.
Urycki and Michaels provided the spark they needed, turning the early back and forth play into a big 22-14 lead for the Bobcats in the third set. The Bobcats kept up the intensity and would win the set 25-17.
The Bobcats continued their energetic play, building an early 7-2 lead in the fourth set which quickly prompted a Gaels timeout. The Gaels came out of their timeout and battled back against the surging Bobcats and cut the lead to 12-11. The Bobcats came right back, winning 13 of 15 points to win the set 25-13 and evening the match 2-2.
In the final set of the Gaels opened up an early lead prompting two quick timeouts by the Bobcats coach Kristopher Czaplinski. His team rallied out of the timeouts and took a 7-6 lead.
The back and forth play from the earlier sets resumed, however, the Gaels held off the comeback winning the set 15-12 and the match 3-2.
Urycki posted a game high 23 kills. Michaels led the Bobcats with 20 digs. Freshman Cheyenne Orsi also tallied 10 kills for the Bobcats. Warren led the Gaels with 21 kills while Natalie Ziskin led the team with 50 assists.
The Bobcats look to stop their 11 game losing streak against Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday.
