WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 3, 2026) - The King's College women's volleyball team bounced back from an opening-set loss to defeat John Jay College, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon inside McGrane Gymnasium. After falling 25-19 in the first, the Monarchs responded with three consecutive set victories, taking the second 25-20, battling to a 28-26 win in the third and cruising to a 25-13 victory in the fourth. King's improved to 11-4 overall with the win.
Hannah Swinsburg turned in a career performance for the Monarchs, recording a career-high 14 kills on 29 attempts with just one error for a .448 hitting percentage. Bella Boylan matched Swinsburg with 14 kills while adding eight digs, while Weronika Malinowski finished with six kills, 17 digs and four service aces. Ariela Towsey directed the offense with 37 assists and added seven digs, while Riley McArdle anchored the defense with a match-high 20 digs.
John Jay jumped out to a 7-2 advantage in the opening set before King's began to chip away. The Monarchs pulled within one at 17-16 following a three-point run, but the Bloodhounds responded and closed the frame with seven of the final 10 points to take the opener, 25-19.
King's responded in the second, using an early run to build a 5-1 lead behind a pair of Boylan kills. John Jay battled back and eventually took an 11-9 advantage, but the Monarchs answered with five consecutive points to regain the lead at 14-11. With King's ahead 15-14, Swinsburg took over offensively, recording five kills over the remainder of the set as the Monarchs pulled away for a 25-20 victory to even the match.
The third set proved to be the tightest of the afternoon, featuring 10 ties and five lead changes. King's trailed 17-13 before rattling off six consecutive points, highlighted by two Malinowski aces and kills from Boylan and Swinsburg, to move ahead 19-17. John Jay responded and eventually reached set point at 24-21, but the Monarchs fought off three straight set points to tie the frame at 24-24. King's erased two more set points before a Boylan kill gave the Monarchs a 27-26 advantage, and a John Jay attack error finished off the 28-26 victory.
The Monarchs left little doubt in the fourth, turning a 1-1 tie into an 8-1 advantage behind a 7-0 run. King's continued to control the frame and later used a 7-1 stretch to extend its lead to 22-10, with Malinowski recording two service aces during the run. Boylan and Emma Bolich delivered kills down the stretch, with Bolich putting away match point to secure the 25-13 set victory and the 3-1 win.
The Monarchs return to action on Wednesday October 7, when they head to Marywood at 7 p.m. for a MAC Freedom nighttime showdown.
--MONARCHS--
