NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College women's volleyball team held off Purchase in the fifth set, and remained undefeated, winning 3-2 over the Panthers on Thursday evening in The Nest.

The Falcons extend their best start in program history, and are now 4-0 on the season.

Majo Pelaez (Armenia, Colombia) finished with 18 kills, five aces and eight digs, while Shalese Gordon (Bridgeport, Conn.) had 30 assists, fivve kills and 11 digs in the win. Paula Matheus (Tunja-Boyaca, Colombia) had a career-high six aces as the Falcons had 18 in the match.

Freshman Yarieshka Sierra (Hartford, Conn.) finished with a career-high nine kills - including the win clinching kill - to go with 10 digs.

The Falcons remain as the only undefeated team in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

THE BASICS

FINAL: Albertus Magnus 3 | Purchase State 2

SET 1: Albertus 25 | Purchase 17

SET 2: Albertus 25 | Purchase 12

SET 3: Purchase 25 | Albertus 21

SET 4: Purchase 25 | Albertus 21

SET 5: Albertus 16 | Purchase 14

RECORDS: Albertus (4-0) | Purchase (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons turned an early 7-6 lead into a 13-7 lead in the first set behind a kill and two aces by Matheus and two kills from Pelaez as Albertus was able to take control. Purchase cut the Albertus lead to 14-10 but two aces from Gordon and another from Pelaez made it a 20-11 game. Sierra had two kills down the stretch of the first set as Albertus took a 1-0 lead in the match.
•  In a second set romp, Albertus finished on a 14-5 run as Purchase never threatened the Falcons. Albertus had five aces in the set as Matheus, Sierra, Alexys Signor (North Haven, Conn.), Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) and Pelaez each had one. Pelaez also had three kills.
• The third set saw Purchase take advantage of six errors by the Falcons early on to take a 14-7 lead. Albertus trailed by as much 22-13 and fought back to close the deficit to 23-20 before Purchase put the set away. Pelaez had three kills in the set and Gordon and Nyanna Richards  (Bridgeport, Conn.) each had two.
• The Falcons fell behind 14-9 in the fourth set, but battled back thanks to a 6-1 run. Pelaez had two kills and Matheus, two aces during the run as the set was tied at 15-15. The teams knotted up again at 18-18 after another kill from Sierra, but four errors down the stretch from Albertus made it a 2-2 match headed to a decisive fifth set.
• In the final set the two teams could not get any separation as the teams tied seven times. Purchase took an 11-8 lead after a kill from Kayin Cormier, but the Falcons rattled off the next six points that included two kills from Pelaez and one from Sierra to take a 14-11 lead. However, Purchase scored the next three points to tie the set up, but emphatic kills from Pelaez and Sierra for the final two points gave Albertus the win.

LEADERS

Albertus

• Majo Pelaez - 18 Kills
• Shalese Gordon - 30 Assists
• Paula Matheus - 6 Aces
• Amanda Zdru - 21 Digs
• Emma Fallon and Majo Pelaez - 1 Block

Purchase

• Kayin Cormier - 10 Kills
• Natalia Leite - 11 Assists
• Helena Carroll - 5 Aces
• Natalia Leite - 13 Digs
• Natalia Leite and Thalia Patenelli - 1 Block

NOTEWORTHY

• The Falcons are 2-0 in five-set matches this season.
• Albertus is now 8-1 all-time against Purchase, including wins in the last seven matches.
• Alondra Acosta (Guayama, Puerto Rico) had her first career ace.

 UP NEXT

The Falcons go on the road for a tri-match on Saturday, September 7th taking on John Jay at 11:30 a.m. and host, Saint Joseph's (L.I.) at 1 p.m.