American International College

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - There will be one more women's volleyball match at the Henry Butova Gymnasium in 2025.

The American International College women's volleyball team ensured that with a 25-12, 25-21, 24-26, 25-15 win over Assumption University, clinching third place and with it a home game in the Northeast 10 Championship Tournament First Round.

AIC's record is now 15-6 overall and 6-2 in the NE10. 

The Yellow Jackets opened with a bang, scoring the first seven points of the match and forcing the Greyhounds to take a timeout after back-to-back Daniella Russo-Lolas aces. It hardly helped the visitors, who hit -.074 for the set, while Carissa Michel pounded down four kills. AIC easily took the set as a result.

The second saw AIC build a lead just as quickly; again, a Russo-Lolas ace that put AIC ahead seven forced an Assumption stoppage. This time, however, the Greyhounds were able to battle back. After AIC built to a 17-9 lead, Assumption narrowed the gap with several runs and cut the deficit to 23-20, but the Yellow Jackets held on, and an attack error by the Greyhounds at 24-21 gave AIC a 2-0 lead. Janelys Perez Cortes was a key part of that, with five kills and an ace in the set.

In the third, there were more back-to-back aces to build a big early lead, but this time it was Tatiana Calderin of Assumption, whose serve scores put Assumption up 6-1. AIC battled back and took the lead with a five-point run to go up 18-15  and led by as much as 21-16, seeming to take control of the match. However, the Greyhounds turned it around, and led by Kaitlyn Montgomery, who had a key block and multiple key kills, including set point at 25-24, they forced a fourth set.

Frustrated by not being able to finish, AIC took charge early with an 11-point run, going from 5-5 to 16-5 without allowing the visitors to score thanks in part to a string of Chelsea Foulis and Victoria Soto Burgos blocks; Perez Cortes had two kills in the run as well. The Yellow Jackets kept the Greyhounds at bay from there, and Victoria Soto Burgos shot the ball to the wood on match point to seal the win.

Perez Cortes collected 16 kills to lead the match, while Michel had 11. Victoria Soto Burgos made six blocks, and Perla Rosa dug 15 attacks while returning all 23 serves she faced. Russo-Lolas had an impressive showing of 18 assists, 11 digs, and six aces, and Zorybeth Febres also passed 18 assists. 

AIC closes the regular season on Saturday, November 15 at Pace University. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m.

After that, the NE10 First Round game will be Tuesday, November 18 at 6:00 p.m. at the Butova Gym. The opponent is to be determined.