#5 Farmingdale State - 3, #4 St. Joseph's-Long Island - 2 (25-22, 14-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-8)
Patchogue, N.Y. - The fifth-seeded Farmingdale State women's volleyball team traveled to #4 St. Joseph's-Long Island this evening for the First Round of the Skyline Conference Championship and earned a 3-2 victory. The Rams have advanced to the Semifinals at top-seeded Manhattanville on Thursday.
Knotted at 22-22 in the first set, FSC (16-13) used a block assist from senior middle blocker Kelsey Voiklis (Commack, N.Y.) and sophomore outside Kate Flamio (East Islip, N.Y.) to take a one-point advantage. On the ensuing serve by Flamio, a solo block from Voiklis gave Farmingdale State a two-point lead before a Golden Eagles (15-15) attacking error clinched the set for FSC, 25-22.
After splitting the second and third sets, St. Joseph's-Long Island jumped out to a 16-8 advantage in the fourth set and would go on for a 25-13 victory to tie the match up at 2-2.
Leading 6-5 in the deciding fifth set, Rams' sophomore outside Rachel McCartin (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Voiklis recorded back-to-back kills to go in front, 8-5. The Golden Eagles quickly answered with three straight points to tie the score at 8-8.
After a service error by SJC-LI put FSC ahead, 9-8, Farmingdale State tallied the final six points of the match, including a pair of kills from McCartin, to win the set, 15-8, and the match, 3-2.
McCartin finished with a double-double as she tallied 11 kills and 14 digs, while Voiklis produced eight kills and a match-high seven blocks (two solo). Flamio registered nine kills, 15 digs and four block assists, freshman setter Lexi Cavalieri (Lake Grove, N.Y.) notched 25 assists and sophomore libero Madisyn Pozo (Bayside, N.Y.) recorded 20 digs, three assists and a match-high five service aces. Junior defensive specialist Maria Veliz Thol (Queens, N.Y.) added 10 digs in the victory.
The Golden Eagles were led by sophomore outside Melanie O'Hoppe (Sayville, N.Y.) who tallied a team-high 12 kills and four aces.
Farmingdale State will now travel to #1 Manhattanville on Thursday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m.
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