BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 9, 2014) - On Sunday, the LIU Post volleyball team closed out the 2014 regular season with a 3-1 win over Roberts Wesleyan in an East Coast Conference clash at the Pratt Recreation Center.

Trailing 19-13 late in the first set, the Pioneers (18-12, 11-5 ECC) stormed all the way back to even the score at 22-all. Junior setter/outside hitter Monica Amador (Cedar Park, Texas) collected two kills and four assists in the run. A block from freshman middle blocker Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) and freshman outside hitter/middle blocker Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) tied things up.

Soon after, an attack error by the Redhawks' (16-10, 10-6 ECC) Courtney Taylor (Spring, Texas), who slammed down a match-high 20 kills, and a Valenza kill completed the comeback. The green and gold took the opening game by a 25-23 scoreline.

Roberts Wesleyan rebounded in the second set (25-23), behind a .345 hitting percentage, before LIU Post regained its one-game lead in the third. Ahead 17-15 in a tightly-contested set, the Pioneers scored five of the next six points to widen their lead to 22-16. Valenza tallied two kills in the burst. Amador and junior middle hitter Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) contributed one kills apiece.

That proved to be all the hosts needed, as the visitors only came within four points the rest of the way. A kill by sophomore middle/right-side hitter Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) sealed the 25-20 victory for the green and gold.

The fourth and eventual final game was a see-saw affair. LIU Post held a 22-18 edge, but Roberts rallied with four straight points to knot the set at 22-all. Three unforced errors by the Pioneers, along with a block by Jordan Wilson (Vista, Calif.) and Judy Schultz (Hilton, N.Y.), deadlocked the score.

Yet, the green and gold finished strong. an Austin kill sparked a string of three consecutive points that won it for LIU Post. Junior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii) accounted for the match-clinching point, via a service ace.

Valenza registered a team-best 12 kills on the afternoon. Hansen notched 11 kills. Austin picked up her third double-double of the year with 11 digs and 10 kills. Senior middle blocker Heather Adams (Centerville, Ohio) totaled eight digs, five kills and three service aces. Amador dished out 29 assists, while racking up six kills and three aces. Ringor tied for the match-high in digs (13).

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the Pioneers have now secured the No. 3 seed in next week's East Coast Conference Championship. They will face second-seeded Dowling on Friday (Nov. 14) in a semifinal contest. For the full tournament bracket, please visit www.ECCSports.org.