Volleyball Falls at New Haven, 3-2
Box Score
WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Sept. 22, 2016) - The LIU Post volleyball team lost a tough 3-2 decision (23-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 13-15) to University of New Haven in non-conference action at Charger Gymnasium.
The Pioneers (2-7) twice rallied to tie the match, but fell to the Chargers (5-3) in a hard-fought fifth set. Four different players tallied double-digit kills for LIU Post in the loss.
Senior middle hitter
Taryn McCullouch (Buena Park, Calif.) put down a match- and career-high 20 kills on a .375 hitting percentage. Junior outside/middle/right-side hitter
Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) collected 19 kills and 21 digs for a double-double. Sophomore outside hitter
Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio) had a double-double (14 kills, 19 digs), as well.
Sophomore middle/right-side hitter
Elise Strange (Chesapeake, Va.) registered 11 kills. Sophomore setter
Giulia Genna (Rome, Italy) allocated 60 assists, to go along with 18 digs and a pair of service aces.
After dropping the opening set, the Pioneers came on the strong in the second game to even the contest at 1-all. Leading 7-6, the visitors used a 10-2 run to widen their lead to 17-8. Strange tallied a pair of kills in the burst. Genna capped it off with an ace.
The Chargers later managed to close the gap to a one-point difference (21-20), but the green and gold went on to win the set by a 25-23 count on a kill from Valenza.
New Haven then took the third set (25-20), before LIU Post answered right back in the fourth. The Pioneers hit at a stellar .474 clip in the game to breeze to a 25-20 victory. Valenza paved the way for the green and gold in the set, notching four kills and adding back-to-back service aces.
In the fifth set, the two squads were tied at 9-all, until New Haven rattled off four straight points to grab a 13-9 advantage. Senior outside hitter Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich.) and junior outside/opposite hitter Caroline Martins (Tres Pontas, Brazil) had consecutive kills for the Chargers in the spurt.
LIU Post did not go quietly though. The Pioneers rallied to cut the deficit to 14-13, on an
Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) kill. Yet, a subsequent service error won the match for UNH.
Head Coach
Amanda Ostapow and her LIU Post squad return to the court on Sunday (Sept. 25), when they face Southern Connecticut State University at 1 p.m. in New Haven.