Volleyball Falls to Daemen in ECC Semifinals, 3-1

11/18/2016 9:56:00 PM

Box Score

AMHERST, N.Y. (Nov. 18, 2016) - The LIU Post women's volleyball team saw its 2016 season come to an end Friday with a 3-1 loss (22-25, 31-33, 25-17, 25-27) to Daemen College in an East Coast Conference Championship semifinal at Lumsden Gymnasium.

Junior outside/right-side hitter Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and sophomore outside hitter Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio) each posted a double-double in the loss. Valenza tallied 18 kills and 12 digs, while Londot collected 14 kills on a .306 hitting percentage and added 15 digs.

Down 9-7 in the first set, the Pioneers (15-13) reeled off a 7-1 run to grab a 14-10 advantage, forcing a Wildcats' (23-6) timeout. Valenza put down two kills in the burst. Senior middle hitter Taryn McCullouch (Buena Park, Calif.) and sophomore setter Giulia Genna (Rome, Italy) teamed up for a block to cap off the streak.

However, Daemen rallied to tie the game at 16-all, and secured a 25-22 victory on an Amber Drzymala (West Seneca, N.Y.) kill.

In the second set, the Pioneers held a pair of late leads, but the Wildcats clawed back to force extra points. The hosts would eventually win the game 33-31, after an attack error by Valenza.

The third set saw the green and gold own an early 7-6 advantage, until a 9-2 spurt widened the gap to 16-9. Valenza and McCullouch tallied two kills apiece in the run.

The Pioneers never looked back from there, as a Bailey Dolegowski (Marilla, N.Y.) service error catapulted LIU Post to a 25-17 third-set victory.

In the fourth set, the green and gold stared down adversity and came back from a 24-21 deficit to even the score. McCullouch and Londot each provided a kill in the effort.

The Wildcats came away with the 27-25 win though, as Amber Drzymala and Ashley Drzymala (West Seneca, N.Y.) slammed down back-to-back kills to put the match away for good.

Freshman setter Kassie Akouri-Tejedor (North Miami Beach, Fla.) and Genna dished out 24 and 19 assists in the contest, respectively. Freshman libero/defensive specialist Abby Eckhardt (Westminster, Colo.) had a match-best 20 digs.

Head Coach Amanda Ostapow and the Pioneers have wrapped up the 2016 campaign. For more information on LIU Post volleyball, please continue to visit LIUPostPioneers.com.