GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Natalie Maser had 20 kills, and the Nassau Community College women's volleyball team made its runs when it needed them to sweep Monroe University-Bronx 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-19) on Thursday night.
The match had 17 ties and seven lead changes, but the Lions (7-2) pulled away each time the score got close. Nassau outhit the Mustangs .206 to .057, finished with 41 kills to Monroe's 24 and served six aces. Maser hit .316, had almost half of Nassau's kills and added nine digs.
Nassau got off to a quick start in the first set. Rhianna Miller served four straight points, including back-to-back aces, and Maser added two kills to put the Lions up 6-1. Monroe answered with six straight points to go ahead 7-6. Takyia Wilder then served eight straight points for the Lions. Monroe committed four attack errors during the run, and Nassau led 14-7. Miller added her third ace late in the set. Nassau was up 24-17 when Monroe scored four straight to get within three. A Monroe attack error ended it, 25-21.
The second set was Nassau's biggest test. Monroe scored the first three points, then scored four straight to take a 14-8 lead, and Nassau called timeout. The Lions answered with a 9-1 run. Miller had two kills, Beatriz Sanchez served three straight points and Miller served four more. Chantal Avril had two kills and a block during the run, and Maser's kill gave Nassau a 17-15 lead. Monroe came back to lead 19-18, and the set was tied at 20 when Nassau called another timeout. Coming out of it, the Lions won five of the last six points. Kills from Marlei Johnson, Mia Randazzo, Maser and Avril set up Miller's set-winning kill.
The third set had nine ties through 13-13. Angelina Melendez broke the last tie with a kill. Mia Quintana then came off the bench and served five straight points. She had back-to-back aces, Johnson added a kill, and Monroe used a timeout. Maser capped the 6-0 run with a kill for a 19-13 lead. Nassau hit .294 in the set and held Monroe to .030. Monroe got within 21-18 on two straight aces from Sarai Hernandez. Sanchez stopped the run with a kill, and Miller added one later to reach match point at 24-19. Sanchez ended the match with a service ace.
Miller hit .273 with nine kills, three aces, nine digs and a block assist. Sanchez had 27 assists, seven digs and the match-ending ace, and Randazzo added 10 assists. Wilder led the back row with nine digs. Nassau had 42 digs as a team.
Hernandez led Monroe with eight kills and two aces. Robyn Eddy (.417) and Yamelyn Bonilla each had seven kills, and Darilenia Paulino had 20 assists.
Nassau Leaders
