Coming off of an up and down road trip that included visits to Saint Peter’s, Canisius, Niagara, and Manhattan, the Iona volleyball team was ready to start fresh at home against more Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents. Upon returning home, the Gaels won four matches to improve to 7-0 at home.

On Oct. 19, Rider University visited the Hynes Athletics Center to take on the Gaels (10-12 overall, 8-4 MAAC). Iona won in four sets (25-15, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23) and recorded a .440 hitting percentage in the second set. Junior outside hitters Catrina Warren and Taylor Cembalisty led the charge for the Gaels, recording double-doubles in the win. Sophomore outside hitter Katy Crouse played a very good game defensively, amassing 11 digs.

Next up for the Maroon & Gold was Saint Peter’s. The Peahens were taken care of with ease in three sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-18). The Gaels held the Peahens to a match low .049 hitting percentage in the first set and recorded a match high .286 hitting percentage in the final set. Sophomore setter Natalie Ziskin played well, posting 32 assists and five digs in the win.

Six days later, Iona played host to conference rival Marist College. The Gaels won in four sets (25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) and moved into a tie for fourth place in the conference with the win. This win was head coach Jonathan Killingbeck’s first victory over the Red Foxes. He has now beaten every team in the conference at least once in his first three years with the Maroon & Gold.

In game three, the Red Foxes jumped out to a 21-8 lead. The Maroon & Gold stormed back and pulled within one (24-23), but fell short of the miraculous comeback. In the final set the Gaels posted a .306 hitting percentage and held the Red Foxes to a .125 hitting percentage.

Ziskin amassed 54 assists, which propelled her into ninth place in program history for career assists. Warren (15 kills and 20 digs) and Cembalisty (12 kills and 12 digs) posted double-doubles. Senior libero Madisyn Spence had a match-high 23 digs.

The next day the Maroon & Gold wrapped up their four game home stand with a sweep of Siena (25-15, 26-24, 25-19). Iona stuck early scoring the first eight points of the match. The Saints were held to a .049 hitting percentage for the opening set.

Warren recorded her fifth straight double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs, and Ziskin also posted a double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs. Senior outside hitter Alicja Pawelec had nine kills and hit .333 for the match. Spence and Cembalisty amassed double digit digs in a very solid defensive game for the Gaels.

“I am just so proud of how we played this weekend,” Killingbeck said. “Both Siena and Marist are contenders for the MAAC title and our team showed that we belong in that same mix.”

Iona remains in a tie for fourth place in the MAAC and is only one game behind first place. The Gaels were scheduled to travel to Lawrenceville, N.J. to take on Rider on Oct. 30. The results were not available at press time.

The Maroon & Gold put their 7-0 home record on the line against Canisius on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. The following day, they play host to Niagara at noon. Both games are at the Hynes Athletics Center.