Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The College of Mount Saint Vincent Women's Volleyball team opened the 2014 season with a pair of non-conference losses on Friday at the Vassar Invitational. The Dolphins fell in four set to Ramapo to start the day by scores of 12-25, 11-25, 27-25, 11-25 before dropping a five set heartbreaker to the host Brewers to close the night by scores of 25-14, 25-19, 14-25, 14-25 and 5-15.
 
After combining to make 12 attack errors in the first two sets against Ramapo on Friday, the Mount responded to hit .217 and put away nine kills to take the third set and close its deficit to 2-1. Junior Ashleigh Scozzari (New Rochelle, N.Y.) put away five kills in the frame for the Mount and hit .375. She also added three total blocks in the third.
 
The Dolphins would not be able to sustain the momentum into the fourth set, committing 10 attack errors. The Roadrunner hit just shy of .300 in the fourth with Larysa Iwaskiw and Emily Guzman each contributing four kills in the deciding set.
 
Iwaskiw finished off the contest with a match-high 25 kills for Ramapo, hitting .476 to go along with a pair of service aces and five digs. Guzman finished with 12 winners for the Roadrunners, while Emily Harris lifted a match-high 12 digs. Kaitlin McIver finished off a solid match for Ramapo with 38 assists and 10 digs.
 
Scozzari led Mount Saint Vincent in its 2014 season opener with a team-high 11 kills and also posted two aces and four total blocks. She also led the Dolphins with eight digs. Classmate Zana Daluz (Pawtucket, R.I.) chipped in with a pair of total blocks for the Mount and four kills.
 
Freshman Nicole Henderson (Bergenfield, N.J.) handed out 16 assists in her collegiate debut and added five digs and added two block assists. Nichole Riehm (Irvington, N.Y.) rounded out the match with two blocks and five digs for the Dolphins.
 
Ramapo finished the match with a 51-20 advantage in kills and a 13-3 edge in service aces. Mount Saint Vincent rounded out the contest with a 6-5 edge in total team blocks.
 
In Friday's nightcap, Mount Saint Vincent jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead over the Brewers, but saw Vassar post 29 kills over the final three sets to earn the com-from-behind victory. Vassar hit a .blistering .429 in the third set before hitting .350 and .375 over the final two stanzas to pick up the victory.
 
The Dolphins opened the match by using a three point run keyed by two service aces from Kristine Javier (Fair Lawn, N.J.) to open a 13-8 lead. The Mount would stretch the first set lead to 17-10 on a Jennifer Roman (Queens Village, N.Y.) ace as part of an 8-4 spurt to close out the set and take the early 1-0 lead.
 
Mount Saint Vincent continued its strong play in the second, using a four point run to tie the score at 15-15 in the middle stages of the set. The Dolphins would stretch the run to 10-1 to open a 21-16 lead and secure the 2-0 advantage. The Brewers held a 10-9 edge in kills in the set, but committed eight attack errors.
 
Vassar would storm back in the third to cut its deficit to 2-1, putting away 14 kills and making just two errors. Clara Cardillo paced the offensive attack for the Brewers with four kills with Sophia Tiajoloff handing out seven assists.
 
The momentum would continue in the fourth set for the Brewers, adding nine more winners and holding Mount Saint Vincent to a -.059 attack percentage. Vassar would complete the comeback in the fifth set after jumping out to an 11-2 lead. Scozzari would account for three of the Dolphins' five points in the frame with the team's only three kills.
 
Scozzari led the team again in kills with nine in Friday's second match and added seven digs and four more total blocks. Jane Greer (Bronx, N.Y.) added six kills for the Dolphins with Riehm adding five winners. Shannon Walsh (Yonkers, N.Y.) and Roman each finished with seven digs for the Mount.
 
Henderson finished the night with her first career double-double after leading Mount Saint Vincent with 20 assists and 17 digs. Erika Moncada (Yonkers, N.Y.) closed out the match with 10 digs for the Mount.
 
Vassar was paced by 11 kills from Tayloe Mosely, who hit .310 on the night and added seven digs. Gabby Miller finished with five service aces, nine kills, 17 assists and 10 digs, while Chloe Hallum led all players with 21 digs. Tiajoloff led all players with 20 assists with Cardillo posting six winners and four total blocks.
 
Overall, Vassar held a 44-28 advantage in kills and a 17-11 edge in service aces. Mount Saint Vincent again took the blocking battle in Friday's second match, 7-6.
 
Following Friday's results, Mount Saint Vincent stands at 0-2 overall on the season. The Dolphins will return to action on Saturday morning when they close out play at the Vassar Invitational. The Mount will take on MIT at 11:00 a.m. and New Paltz at 1:00 p.m.

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