CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 8 Monroe University – Bronx women's volleyball team fell in two matches at the Finger Lakes Community College Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The Express dropped the first contest to the host team and nationally ranked No. 11 Finger Lakes, in straight sets, and then suffered a heart-breaking loss to Genesee Community College in five sets. Both contests took place at Putt Moore Gymnasium. 
 
In the loss to Genesee (1-4), the Express (1-2) dropped the first two sets but stormed back to win the next two to force a fifth and deciding game. However, the Cougars narrowly won the match-deciding set, 15-13. Set scores in the match were 25-11, 25-14, 23-25, 21-25, and 13-15. This marked the second day in a row the Express forced a fifth set after dropping the first two games. This past Friday, Monroe defeated Broome in five sets after losing the first two.
 
Leading the way for the Express in the contest against Genesee was freshman outside hitter Gabriela De La Rosa who tallied a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Rookie outside hitter Aleishka Diaz had an outstanding match with seven kills, 12 digs, and five service aces. Sophomore middle blocker Chelsea Nolasco made a big impact on the attack with 10 kills, while tallying two digs on the defensive end. Rookie libero Arielys Colon led all players with 14 digs, while second-year opposite hitter Princess Corona generated five kills and six digs.
 
In the opening set, Nolasco gave the Express an early 2-1 lead thanks to a kill. However, the Cougars scored the next five points to take a lead that lasted for the remainder of the set. 
 
Outside of Monroe having a 1-0 advantage in the second frame, Genesee held the advantage during the entire stanza on its way to taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Monroe trailed the third set 4-0, and then 10-7, but responded with three straight points to tie it up. Two of those three points came from kills courtesy of Nolasco. After the Cougars regained a two-point vantage, back-to-back kills by Nolasco and De La Rosa sparked four unanswered points for the Express to give the Blue and Gold a 14-12 benefit. Genesee countered with a 7-2 blitz to jump back in front, 19-16. Later in the set, with Monroe trailing 21-18, sophomore middle blocker Nisa Llanos slammed home a kill that sparked four unanswered points by the Express to catapult them in front, 22-21. Genesee scored the next point, but then Monroe scored two in a row, concluding with a kill by Nolasco, to give the Blue and Gold a set-point opportunity at 24-22. The Cougars scored next to stay alive, but then committed a service error to clinch the third set for Monroe which allowed them to keep going in the contest.
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair with each team taking the lead over the other several times. The Cougars scored three points in a row to take a 19-16 benefit. The Express continued to fight back as they scored four of the next five points to tie it up at 20 points apiece. Genesee struck next to take a 21-20 advantage. However, Monroe climbed out of trouble by taking advantage of five consecutive errors by the opposition to earn the comeback win in the fourth set, 25-21 and force a fifth and deciding set for the second day in a row.
 
In the fifth game, sophomore defensive specialist Yasmel Molina scored a service ace to break a 3-3 tie. After Genesee evened it up, Diaz executed a successful attack to allow the Blue and Gold to regain the lead at 5-4. Later, Diaz, scored an ace to extend Monroe's benefit to 7-5. The Cougars scored the next two points to tie it up, but then De La Rosa slammed the ball through the opposition's defense to allow Monroe to regain a one-point edge. However, Genesee snatched the momentum by scoring four unanswered points to take an 11-8 benefit. Just like they have all season, Monroe played big when facing adversity as they scored four points in a row, thanks to two kills by De La Rosa and a pair of service aces courtesy of freshman defensive specialist Julia Ramos, to propel Monroe back in front, 12-11. The Cougars disrupted the Express' momentum by scoring three points in a row to earn a match-point opportunity at 14-12. De La Rosa kept the Express alive by scoring a kill to pull her team to within one. Unfortunately for the Blue and Gold, freshman Sydney Hnat ended the match with a kill to clinch the rubber set for Genesee, 15-13. 
 
Helping the Express in their impressive comeback attempt was Llanos who had three kills and just as many blocks. Molina had a solid match with eight digs, two service aces, and a pair of assists. Sophomore setter Serena Bueno produced 25 assists and four digs. Ramos generated five digs, four assists, and a duo of aces. Sophomore middle blocker Shirley Garo added two blocks. 
 
For Genesee, sophomore Elena Azzi generated 12 kills, five digs, two assists, and a block. Classmate Isabel Guerette added a double-double with 13 digs and 12 assists, while scoring a pair of service aces. Freshman Sloan Jonathan provided nine kills, 19 assists, six service aces, five digs, and two blocks. Second-year player Marissa Ciufo slammed home 10 kills, notched six digs, and scored three service aces. First-year player Ashley Blair recorded two kills, 13 assists, nine digs, and two service aces. Classmate Baylee Leyrer anchored the defense with 11 digs. 
 
In the Express' opening match against the Lakers (5-2), set scores were 25-19, 25-12, and 25-16.
 
Leading the way for Monroe – Bronx against Finger Lakes was De La Rosa who produced eight kills and four digs. Bueno had a double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs. Corona had a solid match with four kills, three digs, a pair of service aces, and an assist. Colon tallied five digs and a duo of assists, while Diaz provided three kills, two aces, and just as many digs. Nolasco produced three blocks, while freshman defensive specialist Kaileex Batista chipped in on defense with a trio of digs.
 
For the Lakers, freshman middle blocker Clara Roig Lloveras had a match-high 15 kills to go along with three service aces, while sophomore setter Payton Stoddard added 30 assists, five aces, and two digs. Second-year defensive specialist Michelina Williams recorded eight digs and three aces. 
 
The Express will be back in action this Saturday for a non-region matchup against Union County College. First serve at Union College Gymnasium is set for 12:00 p.m.
 
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).