BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 5, 2016) - Junior outside/right-side hitter Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) slammed down a match-high 17 kills Saturday to lift the LIU Post volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-20, 25-15) of East Coast Conference nemesis Queens College at the Pratt Recreation Center.

Valenza also hit at a .424 clip in the contest and earned 12 digs for a double-double. Additionally, Valenza's 17-kill performance escalated her over the 1,000-kill plateau for her career.

Tied at 15-all in a back-and-forth opening set, the Pioneers (14-12, 7-6 ECC) used a 10-2 run to secure a 25-17 victory. Valenza notched two kills in the burst. Freshman defensive specialist Allie Ahearne (Baldwin, N.Y.) served a pair of aces.

In the second game, LIU Post reeled off a 7-1 streak to jump out to a 14-6 lead. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio) and freshman middle/right-side hitter Lea Brady (Woodbridge, Va.) ignited the spurt with back-to-back kills.

Though the Knights (7-19, 3-10 ECC) subsequently managed to close the gap to 21-19, the Pioneers scored four of the set's final five points to win, 25-20. An Abby Eckhardt (Westminster, Colo.) ace clinched the set for the green and gold.

In the third set, LIU Post pulled away late. Though the hosts led for a majority of the game, an 8-3 run by the Pioneers solidified a 25-15 victory. Ahearne served three straight points in the burst, including another ace.

Londot and senior middle hitter Taryn McCullouch (Buena Park, Calif.) each tallied seven kills on a .333 attack percentage. Sophomore setter Giulia Genna (Rome, Italy) dished out 20 assists, while freshman setter Kassie Akouri-Tejedor (Miami Beach, Fla.) allocated 16 helpers.

Head Coach Amanda Ostapow and her LIU Post squad wrap up the 2016 regular season on Thursday (Nov. 10), when they host Molloy College in an ECC showdown at the Pratt Recreation Center at 7 p.m.