Purchase, NY (Sept. 29, 2016) – The City College of New York outlasted Purchase in a four-set marathon Thursday night.

The visiting Beavers would hold on for a 3-1 victory, taking the match 26-24, 25-15, 24-26, 25-23. Three of the four sets were decided by two points, with two of three sets seeing extra time, including the third game, which Purchase would go on to win. The Beavers then staved off another tough set by the Panthers to pullout a two-point decision in the fourth game.

The first set played a large role in the outcome. The Panthers led 6-3 and later 13-9, pushing that set score to 16-12 and 19-15, backed by the serving of top newcomer, rookie Kaitlyn Pillig (SO/Mamaroneck, NY). Pillig's aces lifted Purchase to an early lead, but CCNY came from behind to tie the match at 22-all before seizing the opening set, 26-24.  

Purchase (0-13) would also lead the second set, marching out to a 3-1 advantage before the Beavers (5-6) rattled off four straight points to take a 5-3 advantage. That lead would balloon to 15-8 and 18-10 in the second set.

But the Panthers closed the gap to 20-14 before CCNY rallied again to take the set by 10 points (25-15).

The third game highlighted Purchase's best set of the night and perhaps their best of the season thus far. They led 5-2 and 7-3 early before the back-and-forth play resumed. The Panthers would take an 11-9 margin, but City tied it at 12-12 and later took a 17-16 advantage. The game would be tied at 20-20 late and then again at 22-22, but the hosts flipped the script and took a two-point lead (24-22) before losing that advantage (24-24), only to make it up in outlasting the visitors over the final points (26-24).

In the fourth game, CCNY and Purchase once again battled. The match was knotted at 8-8 before the Beavers put together a string of points to take a 13-11 and later 17-12 lead. But the Panthers showed their mettle, climbing back within two points at 20-18 and then as close as one at 24-23.

However, CCNY was able to hold off Purchase, capturing the match on a 25-23 final.

The Beavers were paced by Angela Ubanwa, who finished with 19 kills. Setter Veralucia Quispe handed out 20 assists (match high) and totaled 16 digs to lead the visitors.

Pillig and Maura Gribbins (SO/Buffalo, NY) led the Panther offense with 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Pillig added a team-high four aces, 14 assists and shared the dig high with Gribbins (18). Captain Cynthia Plackis (JR/Huntington, NY) also played well defensively, finishing with 17 digs.