Manhattan Women’s Volleyball Triumphs and Challenges at Lobo Invitational Opener

Manhattan Women’s Volleyball kicked off their 2025 season at the Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team split their matches—dropping one to the University of New Mexico but bouncing back with a win over Houston Christian.

Manhattan vs. University of New Mexico

The opening match against the University of New Mexico was tough for the Manhattan Jaspers. They couldn’t quite find their groove and lost in three straight sets: 10-25, 21-25, and 16-25.

Even with the loss, a few moments stood out and hinted at what this group is capable of.

Key Highlights

• Sarah Emmons: Senior setter Sarah Emmons kicked off the season with a perfect setup from libero Teresa Garza, putting the Jaspers on the board.
• Helenn Montilla: Freshman outside hitter Helenn Montilla made her presence felt right away, scoring some big early points.
• Hanna Kaczynska: Kaczynska notched her first collegiate block, giving the defense a boost.

In the second set, Kaczynska started off strong and the Jaspers managed to keep things close. They even grabbed the lead for a bit, thanks to some Lobo errors and smart plays by Katie Powers.

But Manhattan couldn’t hold onto that lead and dropped the set. The third set turned into a bit of a tug-of-war, with both teams trading leads.

Manhattan’s defense stood out, racking up six blocks and 24 kills on 86 swings. Still, they couldn’t quite pull off the win and finished the match with a loss.

Manhattan vs. Houston Christian

The second match of the day against Houston Christian felt totally different. The Jaspers came out swinging and swept the match 3-0, with set scores of 25-22, 29-27, and 25-19.

Key Highlights

• Helenn Montilla: Montilla set the tone right away with an ace to open the match.
• Emilia Kuzniar and Hanna Kaczynska: Both kept the momentum going, each adding aces and keeping the pressure on.
• Teresa Garza: Garza delivered a clutch ace in the second set, helping Manhattan edge out a close win.

The first set was close, but Kaczynska’s ace and kill gave Manhattan a slight edge. The second set got even more intense—Manhattan came back from a 23-21 deficit and took it 29-27.

In the final set, the Jaspers really took control, stringing together two runs of four straight points. Emma Francesconi finished things off with a kill that sealed the win.

Performance and Stats

The Jaspers’ two matches gave a good look at both their strengths and spots they can tighten up. Senior setter Sarah Emmons led the way with 20 assists against New Mexico. Emilia Kuzniar stepped up with 39 assists in the Houston Christian match.

Serving was a real bright spot—Manhattan racked up a 7-1 ace advantage in their second match.

Notable Statistics

• Kill Leaders: Fiona VanDyke and Hanna Kaczynska teamed up for 27 of the squad’s 43 kills.
• Blocking: Abby Morreale anchored the defense with nine blocks across both matches.
• Hitting Efficiency: Manhattan hit a match-best 32.6% in the second set against Houston Christian.

Coach’s Perspective

Head Coach Mauro Miletic said he was pleased with the team’s effort, especially their serve receive and blocking. “Very happy with the win today. We started the day off well against a tough New Mexico team, and we knew if we kept the same energy and confidence it would pay off in the second match.”

Miletic also pointed out how both freshmen and returners played key roles. “Our freshmen came out guns blazing, and our returners put all skills they’ve learned these past few years to good use.”

Senior libero Teresa Garza got a special shout-out for her serve receive and defense, really setting the tone for everyone else.

Looking Ahead

The Jaspers head into their next match against Northern Arizona on August 30. This one wraps up the Lobo Invitational.

You can catch the action live on the Mountain West Network. If you’re curious about updates or want to see behind-the-scenes moments, check out the team’s X and Instagram pages.

Want more details? The official Manhattan Women’s Volleyball page has everything you need about their performance and future matches.