MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Morrisville State women's volleyball team picked up their first win in 2016 and the program's first season opening win since 2011. The Mustangs topped the Spartans of Castleton University 3 sets to 1.
The Mustangs took the first set in commanding fashion 25-13. Emilee Niejadlik (Hamburg, N.Y.) picked up 4 kills in the opening set, while fellow sophomore Helena Hanes (St. Mary's, Pa.) notched 3 kills and 4 assists.
Morrisville opened the second set with a 4-0 run before the host Spartans closed the gap to 4-5. The score remained close until freshman Elycia Crittenden (Louisville, Ky.) drove home a kill which sparked 5-0 run in the middle of the set by the Mustangs. The visitors closed out the second set by a score of 25-16.
The third set however did not end in favor of the Mustangs as they dropped the hard fought set, 22-25.
In the fourth set, the Mustangs returned to form, closing out the match with a 25-14 set win for a 3 sets to 1 victory.
Hanes led the way offensively for Morrisville, picking up 11 kills and 15 assists. Niejadlik nearly missed the double digit kill mark, notching 9 kills on 21 attempts. Along with Hanes, Kim Dunkleman (Williamsville, N.Y.) orchestrated the team's offense, tallying 17 assists.
The Mustangs also established a strong defensive presence. Sophomore, Tori Squires (Prattsburgh, N.Y.) led the way with 3 solo blocks, while assisting on another. Also providing a strong defensive presence was freshman, Sam Wolf (Liverpool, N.Y.), who posted 11 digs in her collegiate debut.
Morrisville has a day to savor the victory and prepare for their next game. The Mustangs will host their annual opening weekend tournament on Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4. The hosts take the court on Saturday at 11:00 AM against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and again at 5:00 PM against SUNY Maritime.
Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.
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