ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – Another conference match, another conference win. In a rematch of the 2022 East Coast Conference Championship, the Daemen University women's volleyball team finished with a thrilling 3-2 (25-12, 25-19, 19-25, 22-25, 15-13) victory over Molloy University on Sunday afternoon at the Lions' Quealy Gymnasium. After winning their first East Coast Conference match of the season in a 3-0 decision over Queens on Saturday, the Wildcats move to 2-0 in ECC play, and extend their conference win streak to 25 straight matches. The back-to-back defending ECC champions haven't lost a regular season conference match since Nov. 10, 2019. Daemen moves to 10-4 on the year and 2-0 in ECC, while Molloy drops to 4-8 and 1-1 in conference play.
IMPACT PLAYERS
- Senior outside hitter Giselle Giraud (Orlando, Fla.) put together a career-high afternoon, totaling 24 kills with just five errors on 42 attacks for a .452 hitting percentage. Giraud added four digs and one block assist for a match-high 24.5 points.
- The heavy hitting freshman phenom Charlotte Koerber (Munich, Germany) finished with her eighth double-double, totaling 16 kills, 13 digs, and a match-high four aces, one assist and a solo block on the day for 21 points.
- Fifth year outside hitter Maggie Burns (Louisville, Ky.) posted her fourth double-double of the season with 15 kills and 11 digs, while adding two assists for 15 points.
- Senior libero Jasmine Brundage (East Aurora, N.Y.) finished with 21 digs, four assists and one kill.
- Senior setter Dunja Masic (East Aurora, N.Y.) helped the Wildcats offense to 69 kills for a .244 hitting percentage, totaling a season-high 53 assists on the day. She posted her first double-double of the season, adding 14 digs along with four kills for a .375 hitting percetnage with one ace.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Wildcats got off to a hot start, leading by as much as 10-3 early in the first. Molloy went on a 7-3 run to bring the match within three, but Daemen scored 12 of the final 14 points, including eight unanswered on the run, to take the first set 25-12. Burns led all hitters with seven first set kills.
- Daemen led 15-5 in the first set, but again Molloy tried to creep back into the game, going on a 9-2 run to bring the game within three points. Daemen totaled six kills in the final 13 points to take the second set, 25-19. Giraud shined for the Wildcats with eight kills in the set.
- Molloy came out swinging in the third and, despite a late run from the Wildcats, took the set 25-19 to extend the match.
- The Lions put together a solid effort in the fourth, topping Daemen 25-22 to send it to a pivotal fifth set.
- Despite Molloy opening up the fifth on a tear, the Wildcats made a comeback to tie the match up at 10. From there, Daemen relied on big time kills from Giraud, Koerber and Burns to take the fifth 15-13 and win their second ECC match of the year.
GAME NOTES
The Wildcats have won the last seven matches against Molloy, and move to 18-5 in the history of the series.
UP NEXT
Daemen returns to Lumsden Gymnasium for the first time since the Wildcat Den Classic (Sept. 8-9) on Wednesday when they play host to longtime rival Roberts Wesleyan in a 6 PM match.
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
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