Ripon, WI- Friday saw the debut of the 2024 Mount Mary University Volleyball team under the leadership of new head coach Maida Wolff. In two matches at the Ripon College Classic, the young Blue Angel team showed signs of promise but fell in matches to Ripon and Marian.
The day's first match up saw MMU take on the host Red Hawks of Ripon College. The home team controlled the match throughout and won by scores of 25-15, 25-11, and 25-9. Sophia Hernandez paced the Blue Angels with five kills, Emma White had nine assists and Abigail Manthey was the dig leader for Mount Mary with nine.
The second match for Mount Mary was against the Sabers of Marian University. After Marian took set one by a 25-11 score, the Blue Angels began to build some momentum. Set two was a back and forth affair, with MMU ultimately falling 25-20. The third set saw Mount Mary play their best volleyball of the day. MMU held a lead through much of the set but Marian stormed back. The set was deadlocked at 24, the Sabers scored the next two points to take the third set and end the match.
Emma White, Rosalinda Palacios, and Abigail Manthey each totaled four kills for MMU, Anastasia Paulino paced the Blue Angels with six assists. Alyssen Noriega recorded ten digs for Mount Mary to lead the squad.
The Blue Angels (0-2) will not to have to wait long to be back in action. They will play two more matches in the Ripon College Classic tomorrow, at 10 AM against Illinois Tech and 2 pm against Martin Luther College.
All live coverage of Blue Angel volleyball can be found here on www.mtmaryathletics.com
