Volleyball Knocks Off Manhattan For First Win

Columbia volleyball played a solid match on Wednesday night against Manhattan College, grabbing its first win of the season. The Lions, looking for momentum to go into the NJIT Tournament this weekend in Newark, NJ, won the match 3-1, outscoring their opponent in the third game by a 30-17 margin.

The Light Blue pulled through using strong defensive tactics combined with effective hits that took a team effort. The Lions adequately contained the Jaspers’ strongest players with an especially good blocking performance by freshman Lauren Russell. Sophomore Ellie Thomas captained the defense by controlling the ball well throughout the entire match.

The offense showed power as well, led in large part by senior Natalie Gerling, who consistently served with precise accuracy. Gerling leads the team in kills with 74 this season. Freshman Martina Kajanova provided a much-needed scoring surge off the bench. The Lions capitalized on scoring opportunities and strung together a few runs to distance themselves from the Jaspers.

“This game lets us know we are capable and have grown as students of the game,” said interim head coach Brie Katz. “We can expect to see a lot more good volleyball following this first win of the season.”

“We also want to be known as the team that plays with heart,” Katz added. “I think that they showed that they can tonight.”

The Lions will face St. Francis, Quinnipiac, and Utah Valley State in the NJIT Tournament this weekend.