JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Senior
Alanis Alvarado hit a major career milestone after surpassing 1000 career points as part of a season-high 20-kill effort, but visiting Iona held off the Saint Peter's University women's volleyball team on Saturday at Run Baby Run Arena.
Three out of the four sets played Saturday were tightly contested and decided by three points or less, with two of those frames falling within two-point margins.
The conference clash started with a back-and-forth first stanza; Saint Peter's had an 8-4 lead but Iona would win 11 of the next 14 points to go ahead 15-11. But the hosts answered with five straight to go back in front before a 6-1 run by Iona put them ahead, 21-17. The Gaels then had six set point opportunities, but the Peacocks rallied by taking every single one of them to push the set beyond regulation. The Gaels, however, would win the next two and claimed the wild opening frame, 26-24.
The second set also was even in the early goings, as Saint Peter's was within a point at the media break (15-14). But the Gaels yielded just three more points the rest of the set in what was the only frame not decided by three points or less, a 25-17 win for the visitors.
Saint Peter's dug deep in the third, erasing a six-point deficit as part of an 8-1 run that saw them grab a 14-13 lead and maintain that one-point edge at the media break. Iona would win three straight, but that was answered by five in a row from the Peacocks. Each team would then trade mini-runs, as the score was level at 22-22 late in the set. But the Peacocks would close it out with kills from Alvarado and senior
Stephanie Rivera before an errant Iona attack gave the home side the third set win.
The Peacocks had a two-point edge at the break in the fourth set and were within seven points of forcing a fifth set at 18-16, but Iona would win six of the next seven points to ahead, 22-19, and put the pressure on. The Gaels then earned four match points at 24-20; Saint Peter's came back with two straight wins, but Iona closed it out to take the fourth frame, 25-22, and the match.
Top Peacock Performers
- Alvarado was the story for the Peacocks on Saturday; she surpassed 1000 points after a season-best 20-kill outing and also added 12 digs for an impressive double-double that also featured four blocks.
- Graduate student Wildalys Soto, senior Andrea Lombeyda and sophomore Alwen Pila all had two aces for the hosts.
- Soto also registered her eighth match with 30 or more assists after posting 31 helpers Saturday.
- Soto also led the way with 15 digs, in addition to the aforementioned 12 for Alvarado and nine for Lombeyda.
Tale of the Tape
- Iona held edges in kills (53-44), points (65.0-59.0), assists (47-36) and digs (65-57) on Saturday.
- Iona also hit .235 on the day (53k, 17e, 153a) compared to a .156 mark for the Peacocks (44k, 17e, 173a).
- Aces were even at 7-7, while the Peacocks held an edge in blocks at 8-5.
Up Next
Saint Peter's closes out the weekend back at home against Manhattan on Sunday (Nov. 7), with first serve set for 1 p.m.
