CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – The nationally ranked No. 4 and fourth-seeded Monroe College – Bronx women's volleyball team made history on Thursday evening, November 9, as they won its first NJCAA Division III Women's Volleyball National Tournament match in program history by knocking off the 12th-ranked team in the country and No. 13-seed Northampton Community College, 3-1, at Alliant Energy PowerHouse Arena. In the second match, the Express dropped its national quarterfinal match to No. 12-seed Alexandria College, 3-1.
 
The Alexandria College Legends (20-6) will compete in the national semifinals, while the Express (23-2) will compete in the consolation bracket. Monroe – Bronx will battle nationally-ranked No. 3 and ninth-seeded Delta College on Friday, November 10, at 3:30 p.m eastern time, 2:30 p.m. central time.
 
In Monroe's first-round victory over Northampton (15-1), set scores were 25-18, 23-25, 27-25, and 25-15. The key stretch in the Express' first ever national tournament victory was in the third set. The match was tied at a game apiece and Northampton was up 24-19. However, the Express rallied with an 8-1 run to rally past the Spartans and earn a thrilling come-from-behind set-victory in the third stanza to take a 2-1 lead in the contest. Monroe went on to win the fourth set to clinch its spot in the NJCAA Quarterfinals.
 
Leading the way for the Express was sophomore outside hitter Lisanel Rodriguez who slammed home 20 kills, tallied 16 digs, and added four assists. Classmate Lesly Almonte had a very productive match with a career-high 16 kills, six service aces, five digs, and three blocks.
 
Sophomore setter Luisanni Rodriguez generated five kills, 33 assists, and 17 digs. Second-year libero Valery Nunez anchored the defense with 25 digs, while adding eight helpers and a pair of service aces on offense. Freshman middle blocker Nisa Llanos made a big impact with 10 put downs and three blocks.
 
The first set was tied at a point apiece, but Monroe – Bronx  went on a 9-0 run to take a commanding 10-1 advantage. Almonte nailed three kills during that stretch. 
 
However, the Spartans would not go down quietly as they later scored nine unanswered points to slice the Express' benefit to 19-15, after trailing by 13. Monroe put a halt to the opposition's momentum thanks to a kill by Luisanni Rodriguez. That got the Blue and Gold back on track. The Express extended their lead and eventually earned a set-point opportunity at 24-18. The Spartans committed an attack error which clinched the opening set victory for Monroe – Bronx. 
 
Once again, the Express got off to a strong start in the second set as Llanos, Lisanel Rodriguez, and Luisanni Rodriguez combined for four straight kills to put their team ahead, 7-2. 
 
Northampton once again went on a run, like the first set, but this time it was a 6-1 rally to jump out to a 13-11 lead. Sophomore middle blocker Ayana Bomani capped off the blitz with back-to-back service aces. Sophomore outside hitter Selena Mitchell ended the opposition's run with a kill to pull the Express to within one. That began a 4-1 rally by Monroe, highlighted by a kill courtesy of Lisanel Rodriguez, to give the Region 15 Champions a 15-14 edge.
 
The Spartans scored six of the set's next nine points to jump back in front, 20-18. After the Express scored the next two points to tie it up, Northampton countered with three straight scores to take a 23-20 benefit. Eventually, the Spartans earned a set-point opportunity at 24-22. Almonte kept the Express alive with a kill to pull to within one, but then Northampton took advantage of a service error to win the second game, 25-23, and tie the match at a set apiece. 
 
In the third set, the Express jumped out to an early 8-5 benefit, but the opposition scored four unanswered tallied to jump out in front. After falling behind, 10-9, the Express went on a run as a service ace by Nunez capped off a 7-2 rally to give the Express a 16-12 vantage. This time it was the Spartans' turn to come back, as a 12-3 run put them back ahead, 24-19.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Express staved off five set-point opportunities by Northampton to tie it up at 24. Almonte slammed home back-to-back-to-back kills to spark that rally. She also added a put down to give the Blue and Gold a 25-24 edge. Northampton was able to tie it up, but then Almonte had yet another kill to put her team back in front, 26-25. In the next play, the Spartans committed an attack error to clinch the impressive come-from-behind third-set victory for the Express, 27-25, which gave them a 2-1 benefit in the match. 
 
Both teams were neck and neck in the early stages of the fourth set, but then the Express exploded with nine unanswered points to take a commanding 15-6 advantage. The key plays in Monroe's set-altering rally were a kill each from Mitchell, Llanos, and Luisanni Rodriguez, as well as a service ace from sophomore defensive specialist Laura Pinales. From that point on, Northampton could not generate a consistent run to get back into the set.
 
Later in the stanza, Lisanel Rodriguez slammed home a kill and then Almonte fired off back-to-back service aces to give the Express a set-point opportunity at 24-13. The Spartans were not done yet, as they scored two straight points to stay alive. However, the Express would cut off the opposition's comeback attempt, as sophomore middle blocker Xing Stewart-Greer slammed home a kill to clinch Monroe's first-ever victory in the NJCAA Tournament and a berth in the national quarterfinals. It was just Northampton's first loss of the season as they were undefeated at 15-0 heading into the contest.
 
For the Express, Mitchell had six kills and five digs, while rookie defensive specialist Yasmel Molina added six digs of her own. Pinales added five bumps on defense, while freshman middle blocker Chelsea Nolasco had a kill and a block.
 
In the match against Alexandria, set scores were 25-19, 21-25, 25-11, and 25-19.
 
The first set was neck and neck in the early stages. However, the Legends scored five unanswered points to take a 14-11 benefit. The Express countered with a 5-2 run to tie it up. The highlight of that run was a kill by both Almonte and Lisanel Rodriguez, as well as a service ace courtesy of Mitchell. 
 
After the match was knotted up at 19, the Legends scored six consecutive points to take the opening set, 25-19.
 
The Express got off to a strong start in the second stanza, as a kill by Lisanel Rodriguez gave the Express a 7-4 advantage. A few plays later, Luisanni Rodriguez produced a block to extend the Blue and White's lead to 10-5. Towards the end of the set, Monroe earned a set-point opportunity at 24-17. However, the Legends scored the next four points to pull to within four. The fifth time would be the charm for the Express as Llanos slammed home a kill to clinch the second-set victory to even the contest at one game apiece. 
 
Monroe fell behind, 9-5, in the third stanza. The Express scored four straight points, highlighted by a kill from Stewart-Greer and back-to-back service aces courtesy of Lisanel Rodriguez, to tie it up. However, Alexandria scored the next five points to go up, 14-9. The Legends finished the third set on an 11-2 run to claim the game, 25-11 and put Monroe – Bronx on the brink. 
 
In the fourth frame, the Express fell behind 9-5. However, Monroe - Bronx scored five unanswered points, highlighted by three straight successful attacks by Mitchell to put them in front, 10-9. Later in the frame, the set was even at 17 points apiece. However, the Legends scored seven straight points to earn a set-point opportunity at 24-17. 
 
The Express would not go down without a fight as the Blue and Gold scored the next two points, capped off by a successful attack by Mitchell. However, sophomore outside hitter Kailey Fischer of Alexandria closed it out with a kill to punch the Legends' ticket into the national semifinals.
 
For the Express, Lisanel Rodriguez had another double-double with 10 kills and 20 digs, while scoring three service aces and providing a pair of assists. Luisanni Rodriguez also had her second double-double of the day with 20 digs and 17 assists, while adding four kills.
 
Almonte had another big match for the Express with a career-best 16 digs and adding three kills. Nunez generated 19 digs and four assists. Mitchell had an outstanding match with eight kills, six digs, and three blocks. Molina provided seven digs, while Llanos scored three kills.
 
Be sure to check out MonroeExpress.com, as well as our social media channels, for all the latest updates regarding Monroe College - Bronx's run in the NJCAA Division III Women's Volleyball National Tournament.  
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter/X (@MonroeExpress), Instagram (@MonroeExpress), and Threads (@MonroeExpress).