The Medgar Evers College women's volleyball team enters the final stretch of their 2019 season. Their recent matches include a pair of trips to Pennsylvania, as well as a trio of matches against CUNYAC competition.




OCTOBER 17 VS. CCNY

On Thursday, October 17, the Cougars welcomed CCNY to the Cougars Cave for a conference match. 

Despite the Beavers' superior CUNYAC record this season, the Cougars fought hard throughout the first set and managed to make the score 18-16 after two consecutive Sashamoni Burnett service aces. Alas, CCNY responded with seven consecutive points to close out the set.

Medgar grabbed an early 4-3 lead in the second set and were well in contention at 14-12. However, a late Beaver run which included six Cougar attack errors doomed Medgar to another 25-16 result. In the third set, the Beavers grabbed an early 6-0 lead which they never relinquished.

Burnett led the Cougars in kills (5), aces (4), and blocks (3), while Noshka Gonzalez-Sanchez contributed four kills, two aces, and six digs. Cristina Carnegie led the team with 11 assists. 



OCTOBER 19 AT KING'S COLLEGE

On Saturday, October 19, the squad traveled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for the King's College tri-match. 

In the morning match, the Cougars took on the host institution. Their opponents came into the match with an 18-4 record on the season and lived up to their standards, taking a large lead early in all three sets and never relinquishing it.

Burnett led the team with four kills and nine digs, Melisa Wright added two blocks, while Cristal Joseph fired in a service ace.

Two hours later, the Cougars had to regroup and face Old Westbury, a middle-of-the-pack Skyline Conference team. Similarly to the King's match, the Panthers amassed large early leads which became too large to recover from.

Nevertheless, Burnett contributed a match-high 10 digs, while DeAngelisse Pryme contributed a service ace.



OCTOBER 22 AT JOHN JAY COLLEGE

The Cougars' next match was a CUNYAC contest at John Jay College in Midtown Manhattan.

After losing the first set 25-4 and falling behind 8-1 in the second set, it looked like the match would be quickly over. However, Team Medgar showed their resolve and heart and won 11 of the next 23 points to make the score a respectable 20-12. Quiara Brye Bey then recorded a kill, but it was too late as the Bloodhounds finished the set 25-13.

In the third set, the Cougars jumped out to an early 3-2 lead and were holding on down 11-8 with a chance to extend the match and even make a comeback. However, John Jay went on a 10-1 run to put the match just about out of reach.

Britenie Marcelus led all players with eight digs, while Cristal Joseph was next up with six.




OCTOBER 24 AT LEHMAN COLLEGE

Two days later, the Cougars traveled up to the Bronx to take on Lehman College in a nonconference match.

MEC had fallen to the Lightning earlier this season in straight sets and trailed in the first set 4-0. The Cougars didn't care though, storming back to take a 13-12 lead and holding on to win the first set 25-19.

In the second set, Medgar took an early 2-1 lead before Lehman went on a 4-0 run. Despite keeping it close throughout the set, the Cougars trailed the rest of the set and fell 25-17.

Lehman had their best set of the match in the third set, posting their highest hitting percentage and winning 25-12. 

Down two sets to one and 24-13 in the fourth set, MEC could have just mailed it in and went home. However, the Cougars scored the next seven points, with Burnett, Carnegie, and Gonzalez-Sanchez each spiking home a kill to make the score 24-20. However, the Lightning managed to close out the match.

Marcelus added a season-best 24 digs while Joseph and Bey added 11 each. Carnegie finished with nine assists, five digs and four kills, while Gonzalez-Sanchez posted a team-best six kills. Diana Williams added an efficient three kills with a .400 hitting percentage, also adding four digs.




OCTOBER 26 AT UNIVERSITY OF VALLEY FORGE

Finally, the Cougars took the trip down to Phoenixville, PA, to take on the Patriots of the University of Valley Forge. 

The first set was rough as Medgar trailed for the entire set. In the second set, the squad showed their mettle by taking a quick 7-3 lead. The teams went back and forth and the score was 11-10 UVF before the Patriots went on a 5-0 run to seize control of the set.

Despite falling behind 20-11 in set three, MEC fought back with a 6-1 run to make the score 21-17. Unfortunately the Cougars fell 25-20.

Melisa Wright led the team with four kills while Diana Williams contributed three aces. Cristina Carnegie recorded 10 assists, while Bey and Marcelus contributed 13 and 10 digs, respectively.

The Cougars conclude their 2019 season this week, with matches against Hunter College and CCNY. The contest against the Hawks takes place on Tuesday, October 29 at the Cougars Cave. The match represents both senior night and Dig Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness and will start at 7 pm . The CCNY match is on October 31 at 7 pm and is a road contest at Nat Holman Gymnasium.