ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. — Molloy College defeated D'Youville University in four sets, winning 20-25, 26-24, 25-14, 25-21 at Bob Houlihan Gymnasium. D'Youville's eight service aces highlighted their effort, but the Lions' stronger attack percentage of .229 compared to D'Youville's .118 proved decisive.

D'Youville opened the first set with a steady performance, quickly responding to an early attack error with a kill by Gabrielle Dials (Blackilick, Ohio / Gahanna Lincoln), assisted by Alina Bertens Deckart (Santiago de Chile, Chile / Colegio Aleman de Santiago). Madeline O'Brien (East Amherst, N.Y. / Clarence) contributed significantly, recording multiple kills, including one that tied the score at 5-5. Despite some service errors, D'Youville maintained momentum with a kill by Cameron Ulinski (Parkland, FL / Marjory Stoneman Douglas), pushing them ahead.

After a back-and-forth exchange, D'Youville pulled ahead decisively with a series of points, punctuated by a service ace from Giselle Ramirez (Miami, FL / School for Advanced Studies). A solid block by Maddie Boglev (Hamburg, N.Y. / St. Mary's) and Dials extended the lead. The set concluded with Ulinski's kill, sealing the set 25-20 in favor of D'Youville.

D'Youville began the second set with an early advantage, capitalizing on a service error by Molloy and a kill by O'Brien, set up by Bertens Deckart. D'Youville extended their lead with a series of points, including effective blocks by Ramirez and O'Brien, along with another kill by Ulinski.

The Lions responded to D'Youville's dominance with a series of points to even the score at 6-6. However, D'Youville regained momentum, highlighted by a service ace from Ramirez and a decisive kill by Ulinski, pushing their lead to 15-6. Despite a late surge from Molloy, which brought them back to tie the score at 24-24, D'Youville ultimately fell short as Molloy secured the set, 26-24.

D'Youville struggled to find momentum in the third set, as the Lions built an early lead with a series of effective plays. Dials managed to counter with multiple kills, contributing to the team's efforts to close the gap. Despite D'Youville's attempts to rally, including a late service ace by Madison Bradshaw (South Lyon, Mich. / South Lyon), Molloy maintained their advantage and sealed the set, leading 25-14.

In the fourth set, D'Youville battled through a challenging period, initially finding themselves behind as the Lions surged to a 7-2 lead. Boglev's kills helped stabilize D'Youville, and Anna Chechelnytska's (Chornomorsk, Ukraine Chornomorska Secondary School 7) service aces sparked a rally that closed the gap to 15-14. Despite this momentum, the Lions responded with a steady sequence of plays to maintain their lead.

Late in the set, Dials contributed with key kills to keep D'Youville within striking distance at 24-21. However, the comeback fell short as an attack error concluded the set with the Lions securing a 25-21 victory, ending the match.

O'Brien posted 12 kills and collected 10 digs over the four sets. Ramirez contributed effectively with five kills and three blocks, adding to her 10 total points. Bertens Deckart orchestrated the offense with 33 assists, while also adding eight digs. Angelyn Jaramillo (Houston, TX / Langham Creek) showcased precision with a perfect hitting percentage, converting her single attack into a kill and contributing seven digs.

Up Next
The Saints return back to Buffalo where they will host Mercy University on Saturday, November 8th for Lockport Volleyball Club Day at 12:00 PM.