LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - The Marist volleyball team dropped a tough 3-0 decision (17-25, 22-25, 21-25) to Siena Thursday night in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match at Siena's Alumni Recreation Center. The Red Foxes had two solo blocks and seven total in the losing effort, expanding their MAAC lead.
The first set started out at a deadlock, with each team trading points until Siena broke out to a 8-5 lead with a three-point run. Marist (6-9 overall, 3-2 MAAC) fought to tie the score at nine with a block by Leeann Harridsleff (Simi Valley, Calif.) and Kayla Burton (Kissimmee, Fla.) and kills by Marisa Gilbert (Pflugerville, Texas) and Joanna Foss (Northville, Michigan). The Saints (4-9 overall, 2-3 MAAC) however went on a 10-5 run to take a commanding 19-14 lead. A kill by Grace Hill (Portage, Mich.) brought the Red Foxes within four, but Siena went on a 6-2 run from there to close out the set. Foss had a match-high six kills in the frame.
A block by Harridsleff and Gilbert and a kill by Hill started off the second set for the Red Foxes, helping them jump out to a 3-0 lead. After the Saints scored three straight points to tie the score, the set remained tight until a kill by Gilbert kick-started 6-2 run that gave Marist a 13-9 lead, prompting a Siena timeout. Included in the run was a kill and solo block by Harridsleff. Coming out of the break, Siena score three consecutive points to cut the lead to one, Harridsleff gave the Red Foxes a two-point cushion with another kill. After a Saints' point, the Red Foxes used a 4-0 run to take an 18-13 lead on two kills by Hanna Stoiberg (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and a Stoiberg-Burton block. Siena, however, took over from there, scoring 12 of the final 16 points, including the last six to take the set.
Neither team could grab more than a one-point lead in the third set until Siena used a 3-0 run to jump ahead 12-9. The Red Foxes fought back to within one at 16-15 on a kills by Stoiberg, Hill and Gilbert, but could not even the score. Marist eventually did tie it at 19 on another kill by Stoiberg, but the Saints used another run, scoring six of the final eight to take the match.
Foss led the Red Foxes with 11 kills. Stoiberg had a team-high 13 digs and 12 assists. Gilbert and Harridsleff both had five kills and four total blocks.
The Red Foxes are off this next weekend before returning to McCann Arena Oct. 8-9 against Niagara and Canisius. Both matches will start at 2 p.m.
