PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Union College head volleyball coach
John Carroll led his squad to a sweep in his coaching debut for the Garnet Chargers Friday night, taking down Manhattanville University 25-16, 26-24, 25-19 in the first match of the Johnson & Wales Invitational at the Wildcat Center.
Junior Kayla Martinez Cartagena impressed with 14 kills in Union's season debut. She hit .235, helping Union (1-0) to a .218 hitting percentage as a team while Manhattanville (0-2) only converted at a .074 clip.
Union won the first five points of the match with junior Allie Kronenberg serving. Her classmate Martinez Cartagena notched her first two kills during the match-opening run and led all players with six total kills in the first set.
The Garnet Chargers enjoyed another five-point run in the middle of the first set and finished off the opener by winning five of the final six points.
Senior Maddie McCarron left her mark on the second set, bookending the 26-24 frame with a kill at the outset and earning an ace to seal the deal.
The Valiants did have a chance to even things up in the second and had a look at set point after a kill from Baudilette Lasanta made it 24-23. However, back-to-back attack errors from Caylin Caballero flipped set point to Union's favor, and McCarron earned the winner from the service line.
McCarron also made an impact at the net in the second, totaling a pair of block assists to help hold the Valiants to a .040 hitting percentage.
The two sides traded blows throughout the first 24 points of the third set, but after a 12-12 tie, Union went on to outscore Manhattanville 13-7 and complete the sweep. Six Garnet Chargers registered at least one kill during the decisive run, led by three winners from first-year Johanna Melhorn.
Martinez Cartagena earned her 14th kill of the match during the run as well. Through 51 matches played in her Union career, she now has three double-digit kill performances. All three have come within her last four matches, beginning with a 12-kill outing against Buffalo State and a 22-kill outburst against Rochester in a tri-match on Nov. 8, 2025.
Defensively, first-year Vanessa Morgan went for 22 digs in her debut, and McCarron led the way with three block assists. Kronenberg dished out 27 assists to go along with 12 digs, and she also converted on three of her five attacks, finishing with a .600 attack percentage.
Union stays in Providence for its next two matches and will take on Salve Regina on Saturday, Sept. 5 at noon.
