BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 23, 2014) - Propelled by a match-high 15 kills from freshman outside hitter Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.), the LIU Post volleyball team completed a three-game sweep of East Coast Conference foe Dowling on Tuesday night at the Pratt Recreation Center.

The Pioneers took the match by scores of 25-21, 27-25 and 25-17. The win improves the green and gold to 7-6 on the year and 2-2 in ECC play. Dowling falls to 7-6 on the season with a league record of 2-2, as well.

LIU Post never trailed in the first set, taking the first three points on two attack errors and a kill by junior middle hitter Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Dowling would cut the deficit to just one point on three separate occasions, but the Golden Lions could not level the score. Out of a Pioneer timeout with the scoreline at 22-21, the home side connected on consecutive kills by Valenza, Hansen and junior Monica Amador (Cedar Park, Texas) to pull away with the 1-0 match lead.

A dramatic second set showcased the grit and determination of both teams, as the scoreboard showed level numbers 12 times during the stanza. The Pioneers trailed at one point 16-13 before rallying five consecutive points off the serve of sophomore Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii). The Golden Lions would not quit, however, and clawed back to tie the set at 20-all. The teams then traded the next 10 points to level the score at 25-25, and an attack error by junior middle blocker Yarden Amsalem (Tel Aviv, Israel), coupled with a Valenza kill, gave the Pioneers the hard-fought 27-25 edge.

Up two sets to none, LIU Post saw the Golden Lions run three consecutive points off the serve of junior setter Kayla Dillman (Rochester, N.Y.). The deficit was nothing more than a blip on the radar for the Pioneers, who stormed back to hold a 12-10 lead. Once again, Austin's service proved to be lethal as she ran off six unanswered points, including two service aces. The green and gold held an 18-10 advantage at that point, and they would complete the sweep with a 25-17 victory over Dowling with the final point coming on a service ace from graduate student Katie Hudencial (Mechanicsville, Va.).

Valenza's 15 kills led the way as the Pioneers hit at a scintillating .306 clip. The team amassed 42 kills in 108 attempts and committed just nine hitting errors. Amador totaled seven kills and 17 assists, while senior middle blocker Heather Adams (Centerville, Ohio) had seven kills and five digs. Senior setter Lulu Centro (Rome, Italy) led the Pioneers with 19 assists and junior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii) collected a team-high 14 digs in the victory.

For Dowling, sophomore outside hitter Jessica Kalbfleisch (Ridge, N.Y.) led the way with 14 kills and 10 digs. Dillman pushed out a match-high 32 assists, while junior libero Kayla Morgan (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) proved to be a force defensively, as she allocated a match-high 20 digs.

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the Pioneers will welcome in another East Coast Conference opponent to the Pratt Recration Center for their next match on Thursday (Sept. 25). LIU Post will host Molloy with first serve scheduled for 7 p.m.