RINDGE, N.H. – The LIU Post women's volleyball  team got it's 2018 campaign off to a perfect start as it defeated Franklin Pierce University 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-20) and Texas A&M International University 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 21-25, 25-19) Friday night at the Raven First Serve Invitational inside the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse.

LIU Post sits at 2-0 on the season and has two matches remaining at the Raven First Serve Invitational.

Match Rewind vs. Franklin Pierce
With the scores tied 5-5 in the opening set a kill from senior Rachel Londot keyed a 5-0 run and gave the Pioneers the early advantage. While the Ravens battled to eventually reduce the margin to 21-18 LIU Post finished the set on a 4-0 run, winning 25-18.

The Pioneers opened the second set with kills from Londot and sophomore Lauren Kloos on route to an early 11-3 advantage. LIU Post then raced out to a 22-14 advantage and eventually took the set 25-19 with junior Kassie Akouri-Tejedor setting Kloos for an emphatic set point.

The third set began as a back-and-forth battle as the Ravens looked to claw their way back into the match; with the scores tied 4-4 a Kloos kill gave the Pioneers the lead and they never looked back. While Franklin Pierce brought the score as close as 21-20, a Franklin Pierce error and back-to back kills from Kloos set up match point for the Pioneers. A kill from junior Samantha Colombo, playing her first match for the Pioneers, was match point and saw LIU Post take the third and final set 25-20.
 
Top Performers
-          Kloos led the way with a match-high 10 kills
-          Senior Giulia Genna finished with a match-high 16 assists and also contributed four digs and one kill
-          Akouri-Tejedor dished out 15 assists while adding seven digs and one kill
-          Londot added 10 digs and six kills
-          Junior Abby Eckhardt had a team-high 12 digs
-          Colombo finished with six kills, eight digs and two aces,
-          Freshman Kiora Ridgeway added seven kills and two total blocks

Match Rewind vs. Texas A&M International
The Pioneers picked up where they left off as they went on a 5-0 run to start the match and eventually held a 10-3 lead. Despite LIU Post's early advantage the Dust Devils fought their way back into the set and leveled the scores 13-13. A back-and-forth battle for much of the remainder of the set, the Pioneers went on a 4-0 run to conclude the set that was closed out with kills from Ridgeway and Genna as LIU Post prevailed 25-18.

While the Pioneers never trailed in the second set it was close in the early stages; the score was tied 9-9. LIU Post was able to put itself in the drivers' seat thanks to a 4-0 run that included two kills from Londot and from there never looked back. Genna set Colombo for a kill that put the Pioneers up 23-16 and also set senior Lea Brady on set point, with the Pioneers winning 25-19.

While LIU Post took a 6-3 lead to open the third set, Texas A&M International battled back to tie the score 10-10 and take it's first lead 11-10. The Pioneers held their own and played to a stalemate at 19-19 but could not close it out as the Dust Devils won their first set of the match 25-21.

The Dust Devils took their only lead of the fourth set on it's opening point, from there it was evident the match belonged to the Pioneers. They took a 12-6 lead on a Ridgeway kill, whose four kills in the set were key to securing the victory. The set ended with the Pioneers winning 25-19 and  Colombo sealing match point with a service ace.

Top Performers
-          Ridgeway tied for a match-high 12 kills while hitting .400
-          Akouri-Tejedor notched a double double with 18 assist and 11 digs. She also added two kills
-          Kloos finished second on the team in kills with 11
-          Eckhardt led the match in digs with 23 and had six assists
-          Freshman Sara Mangan added eight kills, three solo blocks and two block assists
-          Londot accumulated eight kills and nine digs
-         Juior Allie Ahearne added three service aces
 
Up Next
The Pioneers resume play at the Raven First Serve Invitational tomorrow with matches against (RV)  The University of Tampa (2-0) at 10:00 a.m. and Wilmington University (Del.) (0-2) at 2:00 p.m. inside the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse.