PURCHASE, N.Y. – Purchase delivered its first win of the 2022 campaign in the Skyline and home opener on Tuesday night, topping Yeshiva University, 3-1 (25-27, 25-8, 25-12 and 25-22).

Under first-year head coach Louis Sepulveda, the Panthers move to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Skyline, while the visiting Maccabees drop to 0-6 overall and 0-5 in the league.

The opening set of the night was a closely contested one throughout, as the score was tied 10 times. Purchase had back-to-back kills to tie the set at 24 apiece and senior setter Karina Medina (Brooklyn, NY) served up an ace to push the hosts ahead, 25-14, but Yeshiva rallied as the visitors drew first blood, 27-25.

Fueled by the loss in set one, the Purchase lineup erupted throughout the second set. Sophia Cassone (SR/Oakdale, NY) poured in five-consecutive service aces to give the Panthers an early 13-2 lead. Purchase carried a comfortable lead throughout the remainder of the set, hitting its best .391 as a team en route to the 25-9 victory.

Purchase kept its momentum going in the third set, putting together a couple of scoring runs, including a 9-0 spurt that broke open a 7-5 score. Three Yeshiva attacking errors and a Samantha Fasce (SR/Yorktown Heights, NY) service ace closed out the stanza, 25-12.

The fourth set played out similar to the first, with both sides trading scores and multiple lead changes throughout. The Panthers clawed out from an 8-6 deficit with four kills and a service ace to take back the lead, 12-8. Purchase never surrendered the upper hand again—despite a 7-2 comeback attempt by the visitors—as the Panthers closed the fourth set 25-22 to secure the match victory.

For Purchase, Medina had a game-high 27 assists to go along with nine kills on 16 attempts without a single error (.562). Medina and Cassone tallied six aces apiece.  Lauren White (JR/) led both teams with 11 kills (.111) and 16 digs, while Fasce recorded nine kills (.061) and a match-high 20 digs.  

Lilith Bastek-Ochoa (SO/Sag Harbor, NY) chipped in with eight kills and three aces, and combined with Priscilla Choo (SR/New York, NY) for 30 digs.

Medina and Emily Edwards (SO/Victor, NY) led the defense with two blocks apiece, while Briana Thompson (SR/Bronx, NY) and Fasce recorded one each.  

In defeat, Gabrielle Kupferman had six kills, Aleesa Elbaum had 19 digs and Tali Miller had eight assists.

Purchase returns to action tomorrow on the road at Pratt Institute. The non-conference match is slated for 7 p.m.