BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Oct. 16, 2014) - Freshman middle blocker Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) paced the Pioneers with 10 kills Thursday, as the LIU Post volleyball team routed East Coast Conference foe Mercy, 3-0, on "Dig Pink" Night at the Pratt Recreation Center.

Leading 8-5 in the opening set, the green and gold scored five of the next seven points to widen their advantage to 13-7, forcing a Mercy (4-16, 0-9 ECC) timeout. The run was bookended by a combined three aces from junior setter Monica Amador (Cedar Park Texas) and freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.). LIU Post (12-10, 7-3 ECC), which has now won its last four matches, built as much as an eight-point cushion (19-11) in the game, and cruised to a 25-15 first-set victory. A ball-handling error by the Mavericks' McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz.) served as the clinching point.

Tied 9-9 in the second set, the Pioneers reeled off a 6-1 spurt to go ahead 15-10. Sophomore middle/right-side hitter Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) got things started with back-to-back kills, both off assists from Amador. She also capped off the burst with one of her six kills on the evening. Mercy fought back though, and cut its deficit to 17-15, but LIU Post closed out the game with an 8-2 run, en route to a 25-17 triumph. Valenza provided two kills, including the set-winner. Ball added an ace, while junior middle hitter Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded a kill as well.

The third and final set was the closest of the match. It featured a total of 19 tied scores and eight lead changes. Knotted at 23-all, a Valenza kill set the hosts up with match point. Yet, Mercy's leading kill-getter Brenna White (Gardnerville, Nev.) forced extra points with a kill of her own. The Pioneers would have the final say, however, as they scored the next two points to secure the three-set sweep by a 26-24 final. On a Valenza serve, graduate libero/outside hitter Katie Hudencial (Mechanicsville, Va.) notched the match-winning kill.

Ball, who hit at a scintillating .450 percentage, had two aces and a pair of blocks. As a team, LIU Post served 10 aces in the contest. Valenza amassed 10 digs and nine kills. Austin (eight digs, two aces) and Hansen registered six kills apiece. Amador dished out 23 assists, to go along with five kills. Senior middle blocker Heather Adams (Centerville, Ohio) chipped in five kills, three digs, one ace and a block assist.

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the Pioneers are back in action Saturday (Nov. 18), when they head to Flushing, N.Y. for a 1 p.m. matinee at Queens. The contest is the first of a three-match road swing versus ECC opposition for LIU Post.