Morales Secures Spot on All-Skyline Conference Second Team
NEW YORK — Following her stellar rookie season on the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's volleyball team, freshman Cristina Morales (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) was named to the Skyline All-Conference Second Team, announced by the league office earlier today.
Morales was the top offensive player for the Bears all season, leading them to their first Skyline playoff berth since joining the conference in 2015 and their first season above .500 (12-11) since 2013. The Bears finished with a 5-5 league record and mounted a five-set, comeback victory over Farmingdale State to qualify for the postseason.
The Brooklyn native led St. Joseph's with 211 kills on the season and her 2.64 kills per set ranked eighth in the Skyline. A one-time Player of the Week and two-time Rookie of the Week, Morales also led the squad with 244.5 points while her 3.07 points per set placed her 10th in the league. Morales finished the season with 253 digs, 26 aces, and 11 total blocks. The rookie totaled seven double-doubles on the year, highlighted by a 14-kill, 23-dig outing in the win over Farmingdale.
Morales is just one of three freshmen of the 15 to be named to the All-Conference first and second teams. She is just the third women's volleyball student-athlete in program history to earn a spot on the All-Skyline teams. The All-Conference teams and Player, Rookie, and Coach of the Year are selected by the league's 10 head coaches.
Women's Volleyball All-Conference Team Released
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2018 Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball All-Conference Team
First Team
Taylor Gilbertson, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Fr., OH; Phoenix, Ariz.)
Kyleigh Kappas, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Jr., S; Parker, Colo.)
Kate Lefler, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Sr., OH; Norman, Okla.)
Tara Maloney, Mount Saint Vincent (Jr., OH; Williston Park, N.Y.)
Danielle Senecal, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Sr., L; Manorville, N.Y.)
Kelsey Voiklis, Farmingdale State (Jr., MB; Commack, N.Y.)
Jessica Young, St. Joseph's-Long Island (So., MH; Huntington Station, N.Y.)
Second Team
Kristen Bohnenblusch, St. Joseph's-Long Island (Sr., OH/DS; Manorville, N.Y.)
Annie Cosgrave, Farmingdale State (Sr., OH; Brightwaters, N.Y.)
Kellianne Dempsey, Farmingdale State (Fr., L; Lake Grove, N.Y.)
Joelle Desrosiers, Old Westbury (Jr., MH; Bayside, N.Y.)
Meredith Hayes, Maritime (Sr., MB/RS; Houston, Texas)
Cristina Morales, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (Fr., MH; Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Player of the Year: Tara Maloney, Mount Saint Vincent
Rookie of the Year: Taylor Gilbertson, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Coach of the Year: Tim Gaiser, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (third season)