WATERBURY, Conn. – The Post University women's volleyball team finished 1-3 at the Post Eagle Invitational held at the Drubner Center over the weekend. The Eagles defeated LIU Post 3-2 on Saturday night.
 
Molloy 3, Post 1 (22-25, 19-25, 25-22, 17-25)
Two 5-0 runs by the Eagles in the first set put them in front 15-7. During the first run, three blocks, including two from freshman Kyla Knight (Seabrook, Texas), help Post build a 6-2 lead out of the gate. Junior Sarah Seger (Yorktown, N.Y.) had two kills during the later run. The Eagles built a 20-10 lead before a 15-2 run by the Lions gave the visitors the opening set.
 
Molloy carried momentum into the start of the second as it jumped ahead 11-6. Back-to-back blocks by junior Madison Hunziker (Sacramento, Calif.) and sophomore Ann Marie Nelson (Draper, Utah) helped the Eagles tie the score at 11 with a 5-0 run. Post fell behind by four, but was able to pull within one at 19-18, but managed to score just one point the rest of the way.
 
Post led from the start in the third. Hunziker had two early kills and an ace to help put the Eagles ahead 9-5. Two straight aced by Seger capped a 6-1 run later in the set as Post led 18-11. The Eagles took their largest lead of the set at 20-12 following an ace by freshman Suzy Boulay (Kingston, N.Y.). Post had four of its 10 total aces in the third set. The Lions pulled within two points before a kill by Seger gave the Eagles the set.
 
With the Eagles ahead 6-5 in the fourth an 11-2 run by Molloy gave the visitors control of the set as the Lions took the match with a 25-17 victory.
 
Post 3, LIU Post 2 (27-25, 18-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-13)
In Saturday's nightcap in front of a packed house at Drubner the Eagles took down LIU Post. A kill by senior Kerrin Kallmann (Lake Grove, N.Y.) gave Post a 20-16 advantage in the first set. LIU answered with five straight points to take a 21-20 lead and force an Eagles' timeout. Out of the break, two kills by Hunziker helped Post take a 24-22 lead. The Pioneers rallied back to pull ahead 25-24 but the Eagles scored the final three to take the first set.
 
LIU led from start to finish to grab victories in the next two sets. Post fell behind 3-1 to start the fourth before an 11-3 spurt put the Eagles ahead. Freshmen led the way during the run as Knight had four kills and Boulay scored an ace. The Pioneers would not go lightly as they climbed back ahead 17-13. The Post defense stood strong and blocks by Hunziker and freshman Ashley Levitano (Holtsville, N.Y.) tied the score at 17-17. With the score tied 20-20, two kills each by Hunziker and Knight gave Post a 25-22 win.
 
The teams battled back and forth in the final set as neither led by more than three points the whole way. With the Eagles down 13-12, Knight landed a kill to tie the match. Post forced two straight Pioneer errors to come out victorious.
 
Saint Rose 3, Post 1 (18-25, 25-18, 23-25, 17-25)
Post led the first set 14-13 after a kill by sophomore Shannon Veale (Toms River, N.J.). Saint Rose rolled off a 10-1 run from there to capture the set 25-18.
 
The Eagles took an 18-14 lead in the second before four straight points by the Golden Knights tied the set. Three blocks, two by the combo of Hunziker and junior Nakajai Mills (Meriden, Conn.) spurred a 7-0 run by Post to tie the match a one set each.
 
A 6-1 run by Post gave the Eagles control out of the gate in the third. Saint Rose slowly chipped away at the deficit until a 7-0 run gave them a 19-15 advantage. Post tied the set at 22-22, but a service error and two kills gave the Knights the win. Saint Rose pulled in front 20-11 in the final set and the Eagles could not recover.
 
Southern Connecticut 3, Post 0 (19-25, 19-25, 16-25)
After falling behind 10-5 to open the first set, two straight aces by Seger closed the gap to 14-12, but that is as close Post would get. The Eagles came out of the gate strong in the second, building a 7-5 advantage behind three early aces and two kills from Knight. A kill by Levitano broke a 10-10 tie. The Owls came back to pull in front and never looked back.
 
Southern Connecticut used a 9-0 run midway through the third to take control 19-9. Post creeped back into the set, answering with five straight of their own, including a block and kill each from Levitano and Seger to make the score 19-14. The Eagles would not get closer as the Owls won 25-16.
 
Hunziker led the Eagles with 59 kills and 57 digs. She also had 12 blocks and seven aces. Junior Brianna Root (Bristol, Conn.) played well the entire weekend with 131 assists, 48 digs, and three blocks. Nelson was great defensively with 14 blocks.
 
Post is back at home on Wednesday night to open Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play against Nyack. First serve is set for 7 p.m.