BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 20, 2014) - The LIU Post volleyball team went 1-1 in a Saturday doubleheader, losing to East Coast Conference foe Queens, before defeating Stonehill at the Pratt Recreation Center.

Match 1: LIU Post 1, Queens 3 (25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 21-25)
Freshman Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) led the Pioneers with 14 kills and 11 digs, but the green and gold were felled by Queens in four sets.

The first set went back-and-forth as the Knights (5-3, 1-1 ECC) scored the first three points of the stanza. The Pioneers (5-6, 1-2 ECC) came back strong and closed out the set with a flourish. Leading 20-18, LIU Post capitalized on three errors and kills from freshman middle hitter Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) and sophomore Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) to jump out to the 1-0 lead in the match.

In the second set, the Pioneers opened up an 11-5 lead, but could not stop Queens from mounting a comeback as the Knights rallied to even the match up at a set apiece. The visitors hit at a .407 clip, while LIU Post could only muster a .115 attack percentage. The third game was a see-saw battle that saw the Pioneers hold a 20-17 edge. However, Queens again rallied back with seven unanswered points off of the serve of Angela Kranz (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.). Down 24-20, the green and gold stormed back thanks to two attacking errors by the Knights and a Valenza kill. Queens would eventually take the third set on a kill by Arielle DiCocco (Blue Point, N.Y.).

Set four featured nine ties and eight lead changes and saw both teams hit fairly well. The Knights collected 17 kills and put up a bruising .455 hitting percentage, while the Pioneers mustered a .289 hitting clip on the strength of 15 kills. Once again, LIU Post held a late 20-18 lead, but Queens rallied to take seven of the next eight points and walk out of the Pratt Recration Center with the gritty 3-1 victory.

For the Pioneers, senior middle blocker Heather Adams (Centerville, Ohio) chipped in 10 kills. Junior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii) notched 16 digs in the effort. Senior setter Lulu Centro (Rome, Italy) paced the green and gold with 25 assists in the match.

DiCocco led the Knights with a match-high 24 kills, to go along with 11 digs. Sophomore middle hitter Tori Bowser (Pelham, N.Y.) added 11 kills and junior setter Taylor Garrett (Lynbrook, N.Y.) dished out 49 assists.

Match 2: LIU Post 3, Stonehill 0 (25-17, 25-17, 26-24)
The Saturday doubleheader concluded as the Pioneers notched a three-set sweep of Stonehill. Juniors Monica Amador (Cedar Park, Texas) and Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) collected eight kills and notched scintillating hitting percentages of .389 and .467, respectively.

LIU Post (6-6) never trailed in the first set, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Skyhawks (7-3) chipped away at the lead getting as close as 16-13. The green and gold would step on the gas pedal, however, and increase their advantage to 23-15 on the strength of kills by Adams and Valenza, and two service aces by freshman Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) in taking the first stanza by a 25-17 scoreline.

The Pioneers coasted in the second set thanks to eight service aces, including four consecutive aces by Ringor to turn a 5-3 lead into a 9-3 edge over their opponents. LIU Post capitalized on two service aces from Amador and one from graduate student Katie Hudencial (Mechanicsville, Va.) to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the match.

The third and final act in the match featured a show-stopping comeback for the Pioneers. Up 13-11, the Skyhawks would take the next eight points off the serve of Ashley Hitchcock (Warrenville, Ill.). The green and gold battled back from the deficit with kills by Hudencial and Austin to tie the stanza up at 21-21. Stonehill had set point at 24-22 before the Pioneers rattled off four points thanks to two attack errors and kills from Adams and Valenza to complete the sweep.

Hudencial was the team leader with seven digs, and the offense capitalized on Centro's 15 assists and Amador's 13 helpers, respectively. In addition, Adams collected six kills and Hansen collected six blocks.

Stonehill was led by Kelsey Weymouth (North Attleboro, Mass.), who achieved eight kills. Setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Ill.) dished out 28 assists and collected 11 digs in the effort.

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the Pioneers will journey back into conference play on Tuesday (Sept. 23). LIU Post will host Dowling at the Pratt Recreation Center at 7 p.m.