BROOKVILLE, N.Y. - The LIU Post volleyball team swept Wilmington (25-22, 25-16, 25-20) and New Haven (25-12, 25-23, 25-23) as it hosted a tri-match in the Pratt Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon. 

LIU Post 3, Wilmington 0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-20)
Despite falling behind 8-5 in the opening set, the Pioneers rattled off nine-straight points including four service aces by junior outside hitter Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio) to take a 14-8 advantage. That would prove to be all the lead LIU Post needed as it never trailed the remainder of the set, taking the opener 25-22 with the final point coming via a Wildcat (4-6) attack error.

Wilmington's only lead of the second set came on the first point.  The green and gold five- and three-point runs early taking an 11-5 advantage before the visitors pulled back within two at 18-16.  That would be the last points of the set Wilmington would score, though, as the Pioneers recorded the final seven points to grab the 25-16 victory. During that final run, junior setter Giulia Genna (Rome, Italy) tallied three service aces, including the set-winning point.

By the time the scoreboard read 12-11 in favor of the home squad in the third set, the lead had already changed hands four times and the score had been knotted on five occasions.  Over the remainder of the set, neither situation would occur again as the closest the Wildcats came was to pull within one (21-20). But the Pioneers would be granted the final four points on three Wilmington errors and a Londot Kill to take the match in straight sets.

Senior outside hitter Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) led the game with eight kills, while Londot tacked on a game-high five aces. Genna recorded a double-double with 11 assists and 13 digs.

LIU Post 3, New Haven 0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-23)
The green and gold did not mess around in the first set, going on sprees of three-, five-, and seven-consecutive scores to jump ahead 16-5.  The green and gold would put New Haven away notching the final two points on a kill by freshman middle blocker Asiya Way (Denver, Colo.) and a Londot service ace, her sixth of the day.  Overall, LIU Post hit .323 as a team, with Way leading the pack with four kills. Londot scooped up a huge seven digs in the set.

The next two sets were hard-fought matchups throughout their lenghths as the Chargers (4-7) did not go down without a fight. The visitors led for the majority of Set Two, including holding a 19-11 advantage. But the Pioneers clawed back, scoring 10 of the next 11 points to take their first lead of the set at 21-20. Two Charger timeouts were called during the run but neither took an affect on the green and gold. The two squads battled over the remainder of the set, tying the score at 22 and 23, before back-to-back kills by Valenza and Londot sealed the victory.

The final set saw the lead change four times by the time the score read 7-6 New Haven. The Chargers would hold onto the lead until LIU Post was able to tie the score at 18-all. After that, the contest was tied at 19, 20, and 21 but the Pioneers managed to register four of the final six points to edge out New Haven. Valenza sent home the game-winning kill to secure the 25-23 third set victory.

Londot recorded her third double-double of the year to lead the Pioneers (12 kills, 14 digs), while adding another five aces to bring her total to 10 on the day.  

On Tuesday (Sept. 19), the Pioneers open up East Coast Conference action as they take a trip to Rockville Centre, N.Y. for a match-up with Molloy. The contest is set to start at 6 p.m.