Oct. 11, 2009

Final Stats

BROOKLYN, NY - The Sacred Heart volleyball five-match winning streak came to an end on Sunday when the Pioneers fell to first-place Long Island University in a Northeast Conference tilt. The Pioneers fall to 11-7 overall and 2-1 in the NEC, while LIU moves to perfect 6-0 in conference play.

The Pioneers dropped three straight games in the match but gave the Blackbirds all they could handle, losing sets 25-21, 25-18, and 26-24.

The first set was tied at 18-18 when the Blackbirds took four of the next five points to take control. An ace by Dunja Milan, followed by a Martina Racic kill gave LIU a 20-18 edge. A SHU kill from Mydori Saipale got the Pioneers back within one, but LIU won the next two points to lead 22-19 and help secure the set win.

LIU took control of the second set from the start, opening up a 14-7 lead on the strength of five Pioneer attack errors.

An Ashlyn Trimble kill gave the Pioneers a 20-19 in a tight third set. After the Blackbirds tied it, SHU took three of the next four points and looked to be in the driver's seat with a 23-21 lead. An LIU service error gave the Pioneers a set point at 24-23, but Svetlana Simic kill on Trimble's serve knotted the set. Racic notched a kill to give the Blackbirds a set point, forcing SHU head coach Rob Machan to call a timeout. After the break, Simic ended the match with her 12th kill.

Trimble and Brittany Best led the Pioneers with nine kills apiece, with Saipale finishing with seven.

SHU returns home after a 12-game road swing on Tuesday when it hosts the Hawks from the University of Hartford at 7:00.