Warriors fend off Seahawks' comeback, win 3-1

NEWPORT, R.I. - After leading two sets to none the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team had to stave off a comeback from Salve Regina University to earn a 3-1 victory in the Rodgers Recreation Center Tuesday night.

After a neck and neck start Salve Regina was able to jump out to a 17-12 lead in the first set. However the Warriors closed the set on a 13-3 run. The Seahawks led 20-18 after a bad set by the Warriors, but a kill from Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury, Conn.) gave the Warriors the ball back, who rattled off six more points to take the first set 25-20.

The Seahawks led briefly in the set second set, 3-2 on a kill from Emily Lipinski (Hampden, Mass.), but it would be the only lead of the set for the Seahawks. A quick 3-0 run gave the Warriors the lead and Salve Regina was never able to make up the ground, as the teams exchanged short runs. The Seahawks drew within two points, 14-12, after Samantha Salwa (Ellington, Conn.) set Mackenzie Donald (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.) up for a kill, but the Warriors responded with an 11-5 run to close out the set and put the Seahawks on the ropes, trailing two sets to none.

In the third, the Seahawks trailed 3-1, then rallied to take a 7-5 lead. The Seahawks continued to get points in small spurts, but so too did the Warriors, who stayed within striking distance deep into the set. The Seahawks held a narrow 22-20 lead with the Warriors on serve and Sydney Puffer (Kittery, Maine) and Donald combined for kills. Then after an attack error, Lipinski finished things off for the Seahawks to help them avoid the sweep.

The fourth set was as closely contested as you could have with 13 ties and 14 lead changes. Initially all Salve Regina could do was claw back to tie the game, only to see the Warriors push the score back to a two or three point margin. The set was tied 20-20 before Megan Macomber (South Windsor, Conn.) gave the Warrior a one-point advantage. The Seahawks again tied the set and continued to play the game of cat and mouse before scoring consecutive points off a Donal kill and Warriors attack error. The Seahawks held a 23-22 lead, their first of the set, in hopes of forcing a deciding fifth set, but the Warriors scored three straight to shut the door on the Salve Regina comeback and earn a 3-1 road victory.

Leading the way for Salve Regina was Puffer who totaled 10 kills, 11 digs, and a service ace. Erin Proctor (Canton, Mass.) had a match-high 21 assists, while Morgan VanderBaan (Douglas, Mass.) led the Seahawks in digs with 15.

For the Warriors, Mihalek notched 12 kills to lead all players while also chipping in 11 digs, two assists, and three aces. Senior Libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, Mass.) had a match high 19 digs, and Amanda Tourjee (Waterford, Conn.) tallied 17 assists.

The Seahawks fall to 4-5 overall and will next play on the road versus Wheaton in another non-conference matchup this Thursday, September 17.

The Warriors improve their all-time mark over Salve Regina to 12-4 while also snapping a four game losing streak versus the Seahawks. Eastern Connecticut improves to 3-5 overall and will also be on the road next as they travel to face Wesleyan University.