NEW YORK – SIUE volleyball won the Columbia Classic Saturday after a 25-14, 25-19, 25-22 triumph over Manhattan.

It was the third victory of the weekend and the fourth straight victory of the season for the Cougars, which improved to 5-3. Manhattan dropped to 0-9.

Taylor Joens was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after collecting a team-leading 13 kills against Manhattan. For the weekend, Joens finished with 42 kills and a .429 hitting percentage.

Emily Harrison and Mallory Mangun joined Joens on the All-Tournament team. Harrison amassed 34 kills and a team-leading .448 hitting percentage for the weekend. Mangun averaged 7.45 assists and 3.09 digs per set as the team's starting setter.

SIUE Head Coach Leah Johnson said she was pleased with the team's awareness of how important team hitting percentage in the success of the team. SIUE hit .296 as a team for the weekend and averaged 16.36 kills per set along with 2.09 blocks per set.

"From the back row to the attackers, they are managing the ball well and managing the plays well," she said.

Johnson said Joens' play set the tone for all three matches.

"We centered off of her," said Johnson. "Once we established her, it helped everyone around her."

Five Cougar attackers hit better than .300 for the weekend. In addition to Harrison and Joens, Taylor Held hit .326, Ashley Witt hit .314 and Carley Ramich finished with a .312 hitting percentage.

In Saturday's match, SIUE needed 1 hour and 11 minutes to dispatch the Jaspars. The Cougars finished with 50 kills and a .314 hitting percentage. SIUE was able to use 15 players during the match.

The Cougars now head to Chicago next weekend for the UIC Invitational. SIUE faces UMass-Lowell, UIC and Bowling Green.