BROOKLYN – The Monroe University – Bronx women's volleyball team opened the 2026 season with two key victories on Saturday afternoon. First, the defending four-time district champions won a Region 15 contest in straight sets over Kingsborough Community College. Then, the Blue and Gold earned a thrilling come-from-behind triumph over Northern Essex Community College in five sets.
Both matches took place at Kingsborough Gymnasium.
Against the Wave (0-2), set scores were 25-5, 25-12, and 25-11.
In the opening set with Kingsborough, Monroe jumped out to a 10-0 benefit on its way to the wire-to-wire victory in the first stanza.
In the second set, KCC jumped out to a 1-0 advantage but then the Express (2-0) rifled off seven straight points to take a lead they never gave up for the remainder of the frame.
In the third set, the Wave held a 5-4 edge. However, back-to-back services aces courtesy of
Yamelyn Bonilla capped off a run of straight four points for the Express that gave them an 8-5 surplus. Monroe closed out the match by winning nine consecutive rallies, concluded by two straight aces from
Ayleenee Salbitani Lopez, to clinch the regional victory.
As a team, Monroe scored 30 service aces against Kingsborough.
Leading the way for the Express was Salbitani Lopez who registered 11 service aces, five kills (.444 hitting percentage), and a trio of digs.
Robyn Eddy tallied six kills (.308 hitting percentage) and a pair of blocks.
Jessica Desruisseaux had a match-high 12 assists to go along with four digs. Bonilla notched three kills, just as many aces, and a duo of defensive bumps.
Nicole Garrett provided nine service victories and two putdowns.
Brycelynn Paul generated four aces and three digs.
Darilenia Paulino chipped in with two kills, three helpers, and two aces.
In the Express' wild five-set win over the Knights, set scores were 25-23, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, and 15-13.
Monroe got off to a great start in the opening set as a service ace courtesy of Paul put the Blue and Gold up 20-12. However, Northern Essex (1-2) rallied with nine straight points to snatch a 21-20 edge. Each team split the next four rallies which made the score 23-22 in favor of the Knights. However, Monroe – Bronx finished strong as a kill each by Bonilla, Desruisseaux, and Garrett propelled the Blue and Gold to the comeback victory in Set 1, 25-23.
The Express got off to a strong start in the second set, jumping out to a 6-2 advantage. Northern Essex responded with a 7-1 run concluded by a kill from Santa DeLeon to put Monroe in a 9-7 disadvantage. The Express answered as a kill by Salbitani Lopez highlighted four straight points to retake the lead at 11-9. Salbitani Lopez continued to carry Monroe as she provided two more kills and then three consecutive service aces to help build her team's lead to 18-12. Northern Essex countered with a run of its own, winning five of the next six rallies to cut Monroe's benefit to 19-17. However, the Knights committed consecutive errors on the attack to extend Monroe's surplus to 21-17. After Northern Essex won the next three points, Desruisseaux helped the Express with a kill and then Bonilla followed with a service victory to increase Monroe's advantage to 23-20. The Knights took over from that point with five straight rally victories to close out the set, capped by back-to-back aces from Rachelle Torres, to snatch the come-from-behind win in Set 2 for Northern Essex (25-23) and even the match at a game apiece.
In the third set, Monroe got off to an early advantage at 4-1, but the Knights scored three straight points to tie it up. The Express held three more narrow one-point leads in the stanza but after it became a 9-9 tie, Northern Essex scored two straight points to take an 11-9 edge. Monroe ended up falling in an 18-15 hole but rallied with three straight rally victories, capped by a kill from Garrett, to tie it up at 18. After it became a 21-21 deadlock, the Knights scored three of the next four points to earn a set-point opportunity at 24-22. However, Monroe did not go down without a fight as Paulino's ace concluded a 2-0 run by the Express to even it up at 24. It was not enough as Monroe committed two consecutive errors to lose the third set, 26-24, and fall into a 2-1 disadvantage in the match.
On the brink of being defeated, Monroe trailed 15-14 in the fourth set. Bonilla and Desruisseaux responded by combining for back-to-back kills which capped a 3-0 run to catapult the Blue and Gold to a 17-15 benefit. Later, Garrett slammed a kill to extend the Express' surplus to 22-19. The Knights went on a tear by scoring four straight points to snag a 23-22 advantage. Monroe was just two rally losses away from losing the match. However, Salbitani Lopez changed the tide of the stanza by slamming a kill to tie it up at 23. Then in back-to-back plays, Paulino set up Bonilla for kills which clinched the victory in Set 4 for Monroe, 25-23, and secured a need for the fifth and deciding game to determine the winner of the overall matchup.
It started off bleak for the Blue and Gold as the Knights quickly jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the fifth game. Monroe regained its composure as a putdown by Eddy made it a four-point deficit. That sparked a quick and decisive rally as another kill by Eddy helped complete the overall 5-0 run by the Express which tied the rubber frame at eight in a blink of an eye. The Knights won the next rally to regain the advantage at 9-8. Monroe scored the next two points, concluded by a kill from Bonilla, to snatch a 10-9 surplus. The Express committed an error on the next rally to even the fifth set at 10 points apiece. After it became an 11-11 deadlock, Salbitani Lopez and Garrett combined for back-to-back kills to put Monroe up 13-11. Northern Essex responded with back-to-back kills to even it up at 13. In the next rally, Paulino set the ball up to Bonilla who slammed a kill to give Monroe a match-point opportunity at 14-13. In the next sequence, Monroe hit the ball over the net and Northern Essex scrambled but could not get the ball over the net and it dropped to the floor, clinching a thrilling comeback victory in five sets for the Express.
"Today's victories were very rewarding," Express Women's Volleyball Head Coach
Odaly Aponte-Orta said. "Seeing the players starting off the season like this and not giving up. They were able to overcome the struggles in the middle of the second match. I am very happy they were able to pull it out."
Salbitani Lopez had a huge outing for the Express with 10 kills (.250 hitting percentage), a match-best 28 digs, and added three service aces. Bonilla also registered a double-double with 11 kills and 18 digs, while scoring three service victories.
Paul registered a career-high 24 digs and added three aces with two assists for Monroe. "They were very big wins, and we worked very hard for it," Paul said.
Eddy slammed eight kills and had three blocks to help Monroe win the instant classic. "We bonded," Eddy said. "At first were making mistakes but we ended up picking ourselves up and we pushed towards the end to earn the victory."
Paulino helped the Express with a team-high 34 assists, as well as four kills, five digs, and three aces. Desruisseaux generated five kills, 10 assists, eight defensive bumps, and two aces. Garrett slammed nine kills (.207 hitting percentage) and helped on defense with five digs.
Monroe – Bronx will have its home opener on Thursday against Union County College N.J. First serve at Roberto Clemente State Park Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m.
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