Lady Jaspers learning to win

After losing six of its first seven games, the Manhattan College Lady Jaspers women’s volleyball team has won three of its last five games to improve its record to 4-8. 

This improvement puts the team much more in line with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association’s (MAAC) pre-season coach’s poll, which ranked the Lady Jaspers third in the conference. They are currently 0-2 in the MAAC. 

The conference losses came in Manhattan’s most recent games, at Fairfield on Sunday where Manhattan lost 3-1 in four close games — 27-25, 30-28, 23-25 and 25-19. The day before, the locals lost at Iona in four games — 25-12, 25-14 and 26-24. The Lady Jaspers won the third game, 30-28. 

Aside from the important MAAC division losses to Fairfield and Iona loss, the past two weeks have been very good to Manhattan. 

At the Harvard Invitational Tournament, they defeated Northern Kentucky 3-2 and Providence 3-2 in a double-header on Sept. 8.

Manhattan scored its most decisive win of the season the following week, with a 3-0 shutout of St. Francis on the road. 

Manhattan’s team statistics seem to reflect their record. The Lady Jaspers trail their opponents in kills, 530-487, in aces 61-39, as well as in total blocks, 75-65. 

In terms of individual statistics, Mariana Furquim leads with 126, while Alexa Lampasona is second with 91. 

As for blocks, Lampasona has 27, Furquim, 20, and Maddie Heck, 19.

Kelsey Huntoon leads the team in digs with 209; Furquim is second with 135.