NEW HAVEN, CONN. – In a match that saw junior Samantha Colombo finish with a season-high five service aces and the Pioneers finish with 11 as a team, the LIU Post women's volleyball team overcame Southern Connecticut State University 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-23) Saturday inside Pelz Gymnasium.

"We figured out how to play like a team instead of individuals," said head coach Stephanie Sheehan. "We will be hard to stop when we work hard and play as one."

The Pioneers now sit at 9-5 (1-0) on the season while Southern Connecticut State moves to 7-8 (1-0).

Along with Colombo's five service aces the Pioneers finished with 11 as a team to the Owls' two. LIU Post recorded 41 kills to the Owls' 30 and 37 assists to 28 by the Owls.

Match Rewind
The Owls jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening set but the Pioneers countered with a 3-0 run to take the early advantage. LIU Post and Southern Connecticut State continued to trade the lead in what was a back-and-forth battle until the score was tied 15-15.  A Southern Connecticut State service error led off a 3-0 run for the Pioneers featuring kills by freshman Kiora Ridgeway and Colombo; the Pioneers took the lead and never looked back. While the Owls would win one further point, the Pioneers closed the set out on a 7-0 run started by a senior Rachel Londot kill and featuring a solo block by junior Lea Brady, a service ace by junior Kassie Akouri-Tejedor, a double block by Colombo and Brady, an Owl bad set, a Brady kill and another Akouri-Tejedor service ace as the Pioneers won 25-16.

Colombo dominated the beginning on the second set as she started it off with a kill from an Akouri-Tejedor assist then followed with a pair of service aces. The Owls then won a point and the Pioneers responded with another 3-0 run started by a Londot kill that also featured a Southern Connecticut State bad set and a Londot block. The Owls went on a 4-0 run as they attempted to claw their way back into the set but it was halted by the Pioneers as they continued to build on their lead. Up 21-17, LIU Post closed the set out with a 4-0 run started by a Brady kill and followed by kills by Colombo and Kloos along with a Southern Connecticut State service error as the Pioneers prevailed 25-17.

While Southern Connecticut State won the opening point of the third set the Pioneers responded with a 3-0 run and never trailed again for the remainder. Up 7-6 the Pioneers used another 3-0 run to featuring a kills by Ridgeway and Brady along with a service ace by junior Allie Ahearne to increase their lead to 10-6. The Owls managed to stay competitive and narrowed the Pioneers' lead to 11-10; the Pioneers then used a 5-0 run started by an Owl attacking error followed by a pair of service aces by Colombo and kills by Brady and Kloos. Southern Connecticut State would not go away and again narrowed the margin to 24-23 but a service error saw the Pioneers win the set 25-23.

Top Performers
-          Colombo, whose serving has been a strength for the Pioneers as she leads the team with 32 on the season, added a season-high five service aces along with six kills and a .429 attacking percentage
-          Londot led the team in kills with nine to go with 15 digs
-          Akouri-Tejedor led the team in assists with 19
-          Kloos added 10 kills and four digs
-          Brady finished with seven kills and two block assists

Up Next
The Pioneers travel to Rochester, New York on Sept. 21 for a match against Roberts Wesleyan University at 7:00 p.m.