New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's volleyball team fell to visiting College of New Rochelle, 3-0, on Monday night inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center in non-conference action. With the loss, the Falcons move to 1-4 on the year, while the win boosts the Blue Angels record to 4-4 overall. The visitors got off to a quick start in all three games, winning by a core of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-10.
After the hosts scored the first point of the contest courtesy of a kill from freshman outside hitter Gina Cintron (New Haven, Conn.), New Rochelle ran off 10 consecutive points with sophomore Fabiola Padilla Rios at the service line. Later in the opening game, the hosts pulled within one at 17-16 following a bad set by the Blue Angels. The visitors would stop the Albertus run and score eight of the next nine points to take a 1-0 advantage.
In the second game, New Rochelle came out of the gates quickly once again, scoring the first four points capped by an ace from junior Melanie Ann Lopez Soto. The Falcons would rally and pull within one at 8-7 with freshman Megan Warnke (Naugatuck, Conn.) at the service line. Albertus reeled out four straight points courtesy of a bad set and three attack errors by the Blue Angels. New Rochelle would respond and build an eight-point advantage. The visitors took a 2-0 lead by scoring the final four points in the set with Padilla Rios serving.
In the third and final game, the Blue Angels scored 10 of the first 11 points and never looked back en route to a 25-10 triumph.
Offensively, the Falcons were led by freshman middle hitter Megan Gritz (Milford, Conn.) with five kills, while sophomore middle hitter Ana Gomez (New Haven, Conn.) added three of her own. Senior Ramona Onofrio (East Haven, Conn.) racked up 10 assists for the hosts. On the defensive side, Gritz had a pair of blocks and sophomore defensive specialist Marielis Muriel (New Haven, Conn.) had a game-high 13 digs.
New Rochelle was led offensively by Padilla Rio and junior Tiany Perez Diaz with six kills, while sophomore middle hitter Tamara Beckford added five kills. Lopez Soto had 10 assists and junior Indigo Flowers recorded eight of her own. Padilla Rio also netted game-high nine aces and Lopez Soto added five. Defensively, Perez Diaz and Lopz Soto each had 10 digs and Beckford registered three blocks.
As a team, the Falcons recorded 12 kills, 12 assists, 10 aces, 46 digs and two blocks. On the opposite side, the Blue Angels registered 25 kills, 21 assists, 18 aces, 46 digs and four blocks.
Albertus returns to action this Saturday, September 19 with a home non-conference clash versus in-state rival Mitchell at noon.