POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – For the third year in a row, the Monroe University – Bronx women's volleyball team captured the district title. Thanks to Saturday afternoon's five-set thrilling victory over Queensborough Community College, the Express clinched the North Atlantic B District Championship and earned an automatic bid into the NJCAA Division III Women's Volleyball National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from November 14 until November 16. 
 
Later in the day, #2-Seed Monroe (17-7) fell short in the Region 15 Championship Match to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 13 Nassau Community College (19-1) in straight sets.
 
Both matches took place at Falcon Gymnasium on the campus of Dutchess Community College.
 
"Though we fell short in the championship match, this journey is not over," Express Head Women's Volleyball Coach Odaly Aponte-Orta said. "Every set, every point, and every struggle led us here, and now we're heading to nationals stronger than ever."
 
In Monroe's five-set triumph over #3-seed Queensborough (18-6), set scores were 25-19, 18-25, 25-8, 25-27, and 15-10.
 
The Express jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set, but then the Tigers scored nine of the next 11 points to take a two-point edge. After the Express fell behind, 15-13, they snatched the momentum by going on a 10-2 run, highlighted by a kill and a service ace courtesy of freshman outside hitter Aleishka Diaz, to catapult to a 23-17 advantage. Queensborough scored the next two points but then freshman outside hitter Gabriela De La Rosa notched a kill to spark two straight points to close out the set and give the Express a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Monroe – Bronx jumped out to a 6-3 advantage in the second game, but Queensborough countered with six straight points to pull ahead. After the Express rallied to tie it at 10, the Tigers notched off four straight points to get the benefit back. Monroe played catch-up for the remainder of the set as the Queensborough won the second stanza, 25-18, to even the match at a game apiece. 
 
The Express fell behind, 2-0, in the third set, but then turned it on with a 13-1 run to take a commanding hold. De La Rosa produced two kills and three aces during the blitz, while sophomore libero Yasmel Molina capped it off with three consecutive service aces. Monroe went on to earn the convincing victory in the third set and put the opposition on the brink.
 
Monroe – Bronx seemingly had the fourth set in the bag as the Blue and Gold held a 21-16 lead. However, the Tigers put together an 8-0 run to earn a set-point opportunity, in the blink of an eye, at 24-21. It was the Express' turn to respond with their backs against the wall as sophomore opposite hitter Princess Corona, classmate Chelsea Nolasco, and Diaz each slammed home a kill to highlight four straight points for their team and put Monroe up by a score of 25-24. The Tigers responded to the adversity by tallying three straight points to win the fourth set by a score of 27-25 and force a fifth and deciding set to see which team punches its ticket to the NJCAA National Tournament.
 
The Express fell behind, 2-1, in the fifth set but a kill by sophomore middle blocker Nisa Llanos and back-to-back aces by Molina put Monroe in front by two. Later in the deciding frame, Queensborough scored three straight points to grab a 9-8 edge. From that point on, Monroe took control by finishing the match with a 7-1 run, capped off by a service ace from De La Rosa, to clinch the North Atlantic B District Championship for the Express in a five-set thriller.
 
"Champions aren't just crowned by victories – they're defined by resilience and the will to keep fighting," Aponte-Orta said. 
 
De la Rosa produced a double-double for the Express with 13 kills and 11 digs, while adding a match-high nine service aces and earning a hitting percentage of .300. Diaz had a strong match with eight kills, a match-best 20 digs, and a trio of aces. Nolasco finished with 10 kills and a hitting percentage of .330, while first-year setter Julia Ramos notched 17 assist and nine digs. Molina generated 14 digs, five aces, and just as many assists. Sophomore defensive specialist Arielys Colon added eight digs, while Corona produced five kills, two blocks, and a pair of digs. Llanos provided three kills and five blocks. 
 
In the Region 15 Championship Match, the Lions defeated the Express via scores of 25-14, 25-13, and 25-21.
 
Nassau won each of the first two sets in wire-to-wire fashion. Monroe jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third set. After Nassau scored the next two points, Corona knocked down a kill to extend Monroe's benefit to 4-2. The Lions rallied and eventually tied the contest at seven, but then De la Rosa notched a put down to allow Monroe to regain the lead. Nassau scored four points in a row to take the advantage, 11-8. Later in the frame, with Monroe down by three, Corona scored a kill to conclude a 3-0 Express run to tie the set at 17 points apiece. The contest was then deadlocked at 19, but Nassau finished strong with a 6-2 run to capture the Region 15 Championship.
 
Leading the way for the Express was Diaz who produced five kills and eight digs. De La Rosa generated four kills, just as many digs, and three aces. Corona added five put downs. Molina anchored the defense with 13 digs and added three assists on the offensive end. Sophomore Serena Bueno provided nine assists and four digs. Ramos recorded five assists and four digs.
 
For the Express, Diaz and Bueno each earned a spot on the Region 15 All-Tournament team.
 
"The real test lies ahead and we're ready to give it our all," Aponte-Orta said. "Very proud of the team."

For updates regarding Monroe – Bronx competing in the NJCAA National Tournament, check out www.MonroeExpress.com as well as our social media channels. 
 
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University 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 University 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).