NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. (September 12, 2026) – Emerson College capped the NYU Violets Invitational with a five-set triumph over host New York University, ranked No. 25 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III poll, (16-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 15-13) to earn a split of two five set battles at John A. Paulson Center this evening.
Emerson, which topped University of Saint Thomas (Texas) in five sets on Friday night, went the distance in its two matches today, falling to Montclair State University 3-2 (25-23, 15-25, 25-20, 7-25, 15-10) in match one today, before toppling NYU for the Lions first win over a nationally ranked opponent since a 3-1 win over NEWMAC rival Babson College in 2019.
Emerson 3, NYU 2 (16-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 15-13)
Schiappa served up five aces and dished out 20 assists in the win over #25 NYU (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard/RJBSports.com) |
Junior Chloe Hokenson added her third double-double of the season to back-to-back triple doubles over the first two matches of the weekend by recording 11 kills with just two errors on 29 total attacks for a .310 hitting percentage to her 26 assists, six digs and two solo blocks in the contest. Classmate Sophia Schiappa dished out 20 assists and served up a season-best five aces with six digs for the Lions, while senior Rachel Dickerson tallied her second double-double of the year with 14 kills and 12 digs. First year Addie Wooten contributed 11 kills, six digs and two blocks.
NYU, which was hampered by 55 total errors in the match, including 14 service errors and nine receiving errors, was led by senior Grace Nelson with 14 kills, two aces and 11 digs. Freshman Kate Scherlacher dished out 32 assists with seven digs for the Violets, while senior Tatum Chase registered 11 kills and two blocks. Freshman Lily Leung chipped in 13 digs and five aces.
NYU hit. 440 with just four errors in taking the opening set, but Emerson answered by taking the second set start to finish with Hokenson engineering a balanced Lions attack with seven assists to go with three kills and a block in the frame. The last three sets would be decided by three points or less with the Violets winning the third set with Nelson leading ten different players that recorded attacks in the frame with four kills.
Emerson rallied by taking the fourth and fifth sets to claim the win and finish the weekend 2-1 over the three matches. Hokenson provided the clinching points in each set, dishing out six assists to five different hitters in the fourth set, with Wooten and Dickerson leading with three kills apiece and the Lions recording six blocks in the set.
Emerson jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the deciding set after a kill from sophomore Lizi Horning, but NYU rallied to within a point (13-12) after a kill from sophomore Sienna Morales kill. The Lions held strong, though and Hokenson provided the decisive point with a kill.
Montclair State 3, Emerson 2 (25-23, 15-25, 25-20, 7-25, 15-10)
Hokenson posted her sixth career triple double in the Lions opening match with Montclair today. |
Chloe Hokenson registered her second-straight triple-double (sixth career), but Emerson could not capitalize on two lopsided sets as Montclair State University dealt the Lions their first setback of the season. Hokenson finished with 14 kills and a .393 hitting percentage with just three errors on 28 total attempts with 29 assists, 15 digs and two blocks.
Sophomore Lucy Cornelius engineered Montclair State's attack with 39 assists and 20 digs, while junior Bryn Bautista totaled 12 kills and ten digs with a block and two aces. Freshman Ava Fiedler posted 14 kills for the Red Hawks.
Rachel Dickerson paced the Emerson attack that hit over .400 in three sets, but won just two of them, with 18 kills and only four errors on 38 total attacks for a .368 hitting percentage, adding six digs, while Addie Wooten hit .321 with 12 kills and just three errors with two assists and seven digs. Lizi Horning contributed 12 kills, seven digs and a block, while Sophia Schiappa registered 20 assists and four aces.
Emerson hit .415 over the first two sets with a combined six attack errors but split with Montclair taking the opening set by just two points behind 12 assists from Cornelius and five aces. The Lions roared back to win the second set by ten points as Dickerson posted five kills as Hokenson delivered nine assists to six different hitters.
After Montclair again edged Emerson in the third set, the Lions appeared poised to take control with a 25-7 fourth set victory. Emerson did not record a single hitting error on 34 total attacks with Hokenson notching nine assists and three kills, while Dickerson added five kills and Wooten four (.444) and senior Lauren Yoo served up three aces.
Emerson held as pair of four point leads in the deciding set, but Montclair rallied with five-straight points on senior Erin Saunders serve to take the lead for good. Bautista clinched the Red Hawks win with kills on three of the final four points in the match, finishing the set with six kills and a .417 hitting percentage.
Up Next:
Emerson (6-1, 0-0 NEWMAC) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Dean College at Bobbi Brown & Steven Plofker Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
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