BROOKLYN – Pratt Institute dropped both halves of the Cannoneers home tri-match Monday, falling 3-0 to the College of New Rochelle (16-25, 15-25, 11-25) and 3-1 to New Jersey City University (15-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-25)
Junior Rachel Goatley led the Cannoneers with five kills in the setback to CNR, while freshmen Marlena Todd and Julia Kubak followed with four kills each. The Blue Angels hit .264, while Pratt totaled 16 attack errors to only 15 kills for a -.011 kill percentage.
For New Rochelle, Cristal Liciaga hit a match-high .474, leading all players with 11 kills on 19 attacks.
Pratt overcame a 25-15 Game 1 loss to NJCU in the nightcap and rallied for a thrilling 27-25 come-from-behind win in the second set. The Cannoneers took leads of 5-4 and 15-14 on block assists from Todd and Goatley, but consecutive aces from Shege Haxhaj found Pratt trailing 2-17. Facing game point, Goatley answered with three straight aces to tie the set at 24-24, and back-to-back Gothic Knights attack errors capped Pratt's 10-3 run to close out its comeback win.
A Todd kill tied Game 4 at 13-13, but NJCU then took off on a 6-1 run to open up a 19-14 lead. Five straight Gothic Knights attack errors gave the Cannoneers new life down 23-22, but a Rachel McIntyre kill helped close out the visitors' 25-22 win.
Patricia Morales' kill followed by an NJCU error put Pratt in front 12-10 in Game 4, but the Gothic Knights rallied for an 11-1 run closed out by a pair of Ayleen Pittar aces that put the set out of reach. Shaylah Ware's ace finished a 25-15 NJCU win, as the visitors fired 18 service aces compared to 13 for the Cannoneers.
Talya Polat led Pratt with 10 assists and 11 digs, her first career double-double. Todd totaled a team-best seven kills, but Pratt hit only -.019 as a team. Defensively, Hannah Calderwood and Todd led all players with three blocks each.
At 8-6, Pratt returns to play Thursday night at Purchase College in non-conference play at 7:30.