BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 25, 2014) - Following a hard-fought first set, the LIU Post volleyball team cruised to take the next two games and completed a three-set sweep of East Coast Conference foe Molloy on Thursday at the Pratt Recreation Center. The green and gold won by scores of 25-23, 25-10 and 25-18.

The Pioneers (8-6, 3-2 ECC) slogged through a gritty first stanza, collecting 13 kills and a total hitting percentage of .205. The Lions (5-7, 1-3 ECC) took the first point on a service ace from Ally De Kruyf (Norwalk, Calif.), but an attack error negated the only lead the visitors would have in the first game. The Lions would come as close as one point on numerous occasions, but the home side would not let their opponents draw even. After a Molloy service error gave the Pioneers a 17-15 lead, the green and gold increased their edge to four on a kill by sophomore Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) and a service ace from junior Monica Amador (Cedar Park, Texas). The Lions would answer back with a kill and consecutive service aces from Cassie Palmer (Norwalk, Calif.) to draw within one. The visitors ran the scoreline to a 24-23 reading, but a service error doomed Molloy's chances to win the first stanza.

The second set would be defined by excellence from the Pioneers on the service line. Senior setter Lulu Centro (Rome, Italy) started the stanza with the first of LIU Post's six service aces, setting the table for a runaway game to a 2-0 lead in the match for the home side. The Pioneers would see consecutive service aces from freshman Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) and graduate student Katie Hudencial (Mechanicsville, Va.) while coasting to the 25-10 victory. The team was nearly flawless on the attack, striking 15 kills in 28 attempts with just one error, a .500 hitting percentage for LIU Post.

The final game of the match saw six ties and three lead changes, but the Pioneers were quick to silence their competitors. At 8-8, junior middle hitter Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) would accrue kills on consecutive points, and the Pioneers would not relinquish the lead. A Molloy service error at 14-11 would lead to four consecutive points off the serve of junior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii), and the green and gold achieved the 25-18 victory on a match-winning kill by Hansen, her fourth in the final stanza alone.

Austin led the Pioneers with nine kills on a blazing .444 hitting clip and a match-high 11 digs. Valenza tied Austin for the team-lead in kills with nine of her own, while Hudencial and Ringor each collected 10 digs. Amador and Centro dished out 14 assists apiece, while Centro's six kills came without an attacking error on the evening. Amador and Hansen each added seven kills, with Hansen's match-winner coming off an assist from sophomore setter Katie Barto (East Rockaway, N.Y.).

Molloy was led by four kills from Palmer, who also collected seven digs. Freshman libero Samira Escobar (Fountain Valley, Calif.) paced the Lions with eight digs, and De Kruyf amassed a match-high 16 assists.

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and her LIU Post squad have a quick turnaround as they welcome in Saint Rose for a non-conference tilt on Friday (Sept. 26). First serve from the Pratt Recreation Center is set for 7 p.m.