The Iona volleyball team have been having an up-and-down season. The team will go on a win streak, but then has a losing streak that’s usually slightly longer than their winning streak. That streakiness has given the Gaels a record of 8-18 with their season almost complete. Fortunately, almost all of those wins came during Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, which helps the Gaels qualify for the postseason tournament where they can win the MAAC Championship. With a 6-8 record with four games left to play, the Gaels are extremely close to qualifying for the playoffs.Over the course of the final four games, the Gaels were not only able to qualify for the playoffs and finished seventh by the season’s end.

The Gaels started this final stretch by hosting the St. Peter’s Peacocks on Nov. 9. The game was a hard-fought one, going down to all five sets. the Gaels were able to take the victory in the fifth set, 3-2.Right side hitter and middle blocker Grace Elher led all Gaels in scoring with 16.5 points, but she was one of four Gaels in double figures. The other three were middle blocker Jen Soto and outside hitters Taylor Timko and Mija Jegers. Outside hitter Sanem Bas led all players with 15 digs.The next day, the Gaels would host the Rider Broncs, and it was another five-set nailbiter. However, the Gaels would be on the losing end of this game, the final score being 3-2 after Iona dropped the final set 15-11.Once again, four Gaels scored in double figures, those being the aforementioned Jegers, Timko, Elher, and Soto. Bas also once again led the game in digs, this time with 17.

On Nov. 11, the MAAC had announced that the Gaels, then placed seventh in the conference, had qualified for the postseason, helping to round out an eight-team tournament to compete for the MAAC Championship.But, even after qualifying, the Gaels still had two games to play. The first would come on Nov. 16,when the Gaels would take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats. In a continuing trend, the Quinnipiac game also went to five sets. The Gaels would lose the game, 3-2. The leaders in points for the game were both Soto and Timko, with 17.5.The next day, on Nov. 17, the Gaels would host Merrimack for the final game of the regular season.

It would also be the team’s senior night, where six players were honored for their accomplishments to the program. Those six being Makenna Casper, Gia Skenderi, Micaela Ladjevic, Kenzie Wiggins, Jordan Ader and Emma Vu. In the regular season finale, the Gaels were able to pick up the victory, winning 3-1. Since the Gaels qualified for the postseason on Nov. 11, their next game is against Sacred Heart in the MAAC Championship Quarterfinal on Nov. 21. If the team wins that game, they will face Canisius the next day and will face Fairfield the day after that if they win that game. They would play in the MAAC Championship on Nov. 24