JERSEY CITY, NJ- In a thrilling five-set match, Saint Peter's Peacocks (5-13, 3-9 MAAC) pushed Iona (7-16, 5-6 MAAC) to the edge but ultimately fell short, with the Gaels clinching a narrow 3-2 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One
The Peacocks opened with energy, as junior Elena Bilhartz immediately set the tone with two powerful kills, giving Saint Peter's an early lead. Senior Penelope Rivera quickly joined in, delivering two more kills to help secure a slim lead at 5-3. Both teams exchanged points until a four-point Peacock run—fueled by dynamic kills from sophomores Maliyah Labrie and Karolina Rodriguez and a timely Gaels error—tied the score at 21. With the set tied 22-22, Rivera and freshman Valeria Pagan Munoz powered Saint Peter's to set point with relentless attacks. Finally, Pagan Munoz's decisive kill sealed the set 25-23, marking an early 1-0 lead for the Peacocks.
Set Two
Iona struck back in the second set, building an early lead through a mix of sharp attacks and effective service aces. But Saint Peter's quickly regrouped as Labrie and Rodriguez put up critical kills, and Bilhartz and Labrie's double block leveled the score at 7-7. While Iona managed to pull ahead again, a three-point response from Saint Peter's, including a Labrie kill and a block from Rodriguez and sophomore Cleopatra Diakou, tied it up once more at 14. After tying it again at 20 on a Rivera kill, the Peacocks looked poised to take the set, but Iona surged in the closing moments, claiming it 25-22 and evening the match.
Set Three
Saint Peter's commanded set three with a blend of precise attacks and a disciplined defense. Following an early lead, the Peacocks pulled ahead 9-5 thanks to consecutive kills from Rivera and Rodriguez and a solo block from Rodriguez that electrified the court. Though Iona staged a comeback, tying the set at 17, Saint Peter's struck back with two kills from Rivera and a powerful ace from Rodriguez to reclaim the lead at 20-18. With the score tied at 24, Bilhartz showed poise under pressure, delivering a crucial kill to secure set point. She then stepped up with an ace to end the set 28-26, giving Saint Peter's a 2-1 match advantage.
Set Four
Iona started set four aggressively, jumping ahead with a series of kills and blocks. Although the Gaels extended their lead to 16-6, the Peacocks refused to back down, mounting a determined five-point run that featured an ace from junior Sydney Kuzma and a well-timed kill by Pagan Munoz to close the gap to 21-18. Despite holding Iona at set point twice with a Rodriguez kill and ace, Saint Peter's fell 25-20, sending the match into a deciding fifth set.
Set Five
In the final set, Saint Peter's battled closely with Iona, with an early double block from Labrie and Bilhartz keeping the score even at 3-3. Yet, a pair of Peacock errors gave Iona a slight edge, which they expanded with a trio of kills for an 11-6 lead. Though Bilhartz held off match point with a kill, a service error sealed the set and match for Iona at 15-9.
Inside the Numbers:
- Sophomore Crystal Nguyen anchored the defense with a career-matching 22 digs.
- Bilhartz swung .481, tying her career high of 15 kills and totaling a season-best 18 points.
- Diakou and freshman Danielle Caligiuri each posted 25 assists.
- Rivera led with a season-high 18 kills and added 13 digs.
- Rodriguez led in efficiency, hitting .550 with 11 kills on 20 attempts and adding several key blocks.
Up Next:
The Peacocks will travel to Lawrenceville, New Jersey, to face the Rider Broncs on Wednesday, October 30. First serve is at 7 p.m.
For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
