Kings Point, NY–The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball team visited the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday afternoon for a Skyline Conference match. The host Mariners posted a 3-1 win, (23-25, 25-21, 29-27, 25-18) to improve to 15-8 overall and 7-1 in the league. The loss puts Sage at 15-15 overall and 7-2 in the Skyline Conference.
A hard fought match, there were 25 ties and nine lead changes before the Mariners snapped Sage's five-match win streak on Sunday.
Senior outside Michayla Berard (Binghamton, NY/Susquehanna Valley) led the Gators with her 14 kills, while adding seven digs with four block assists. Another senior, Sara Campolieta (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) added six kills with 22 digs. She was also perfect with no reception errors on 30 receiving attempts.
Junior middle hitter Alyssa Nellis (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) added six kills with five total blocks and five digs. Junior defensive specialist Missy Schneiderman (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) had 31 digs and made just one reception error in her 31 receiving attempts for a .969 receiving percentage.
Graduate performer Katy Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) added 17 digs for the Gators with four kills and an ace. Senior setter Rachel Liebig (Hartford, NY/Hartford) amassed 29 setting assists with three kills, an ace and 11 kills.
Sophomore outside hitter Amelia Taylor (Fort Edward, NY/Fort Edward) also had four block assists with three kills for Sage in the action.
With every match this season, the 2016 Gators are attacking the program's record book. After Sunday's competition, Berard collected her 900th career kill and finished the day with 914 career kills. She is now No. 6 having moved ahead of Elizabeth St. Dennis (2004-2006, 903). Berard is also No. 8 in career total blocks with 159. Nellis moved into the No. 11 spot in career total blocks as she now boasts 113, which moved her past Melanie Finkel (1998-1999, 106).
Liebig, who is a CoSIDA Academic All-District nominee, now has 3,190 career setting assists which No. 2 at Sage, while also adding 198 career aces to her resume. She is fourth in career aces, while also adding 578 career digs. Campolieta has 507 career kills and is now 14th after moving past Jessica Nelson (2005-2007, 505). She has also tallied 873 career digs and is making her climb on the program's record book in that category as well as she is now 18th with 873 digs. Scheiderman has 980 career digs and is closing in on the program's 1,000 career dig list, which boasts 13 members.
Sage is back in action on October 26 with a 6 p.m. non-conference match at Oneonta State.
