NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Coming off a big conference win the other night against Bloomfield College, Post University Women's Volleyball looked to start a winning streak at their tri-match against Southern Connecticut State University and Assumption University on Friday afternoon in New Haven, Connecticut on Southern Connecticut's campus. 

In the eight total sets the Eagles played Friday, each one was decided by five points or less, a pair of highly competitive matchups that saw both sides battle back from large deficits before ultimately going in favor of the opposition as Post University fell 3-0 to the Owls and 3-2 to Assumption. 
 

THE BASICS

Post University 0, Southern Connecticut State University 3

Post University 2, Assumption University 3

Post University (1-9)

Southern Connecticut State University (5-5)

Assumption University (5-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Post University 0, Southern Connecticut State University 3
Looking to flip the script on Southern Connecticut after they were swept by them at the Post Eagles Invitational last weekend, there would be eight ties and five lead changes over the course of the first 10 points before a 5-1 run by the Owls helped them jump out to a 14-10 lead and eventually lead by as many as five points, 20-15, after an attack error by the Eagles.

Two straight kills by junior middle hitter Hannah Brandt would be the start of a 6-2 run by Post that got them to within one point, 22-21 but then freshman outside hitter Carissa Michel delivered the finishing blow of the first set, tallying back-to-back kills on Southern Connecticut's 3-0 run to close it out. 

Early exchanges would be the name of the game in set two as well with eight more ties and five lead changes in the battle to be the first to reach 10 points. However, this time it was a momentous 6-1 run by the Eagles as Brandt, junior setter Colleen Romero, and junior outside hitter Caley Harper rattled off a kill each while Post hopped out to a 15-11 lead.

Runs would be the name of the set from there on out as a 15-12 edge for the Eagles quickly turned to an 18-16 Owls lead off the back of a 7-1 run which was quickly responded to with a 4-0 run by Post to jump ahead once more. Leading 23-22, the Eagles looked to be on the verge of winning set two, by Southern Connecticut stormed back for five of the next six points and the 26-24 set two win. 

Never saying die in set three, it looked bleak for Post who trailed 20-9, but using four errors by the Owls and propelled by a pair of kills and a service ace from Harper, the Eagles mounted an impressive 10-2 run to get within three, 22-19. Following a timeout, Southern Connecticut would be able to regroup and finish the match by winning three of the last four points to win the set, 25-20, and manufacture their second sweep of the Eagles this season. 

Post University 2, Assumption University 3 
In a five-set thriller, neither side would let the other get too far away from them for an easy set victory. An early run saw the Eagles lead 7-5 before the Greyhounds fought back with a 7-1 stretch followed by yet another response from Post when trailing 16-13 to take a 19-18 lead. A kill by Romero with the Eagles trailing 23-21 had them on the doorstep of Assumption but a kill from junior outside hitter Alexis Distasio and bad set by Post gave Assumption set one. 

Looking for a response, set two looked to be all Eagles who led 17-10, but the Greyhounds were able to fight their way back into the set with a 9-2 blitz which tied things up at 19. Unperturbed, Post took care of business as junior outside hitter Tamara Radovanov notched two kills while Brandt, Harper, and junior setter Maria Fernanda Branco each tallied one to their name to help the Eagles win 25-22 and tie up the match. A similar setup would occur in set three as 11 ties and six lead changes put Assumption ahead 20-19. Senior middle hitter Keyah Sinclair would end up being the difference maker, tallying two kills while Harper notched two of her own as part of a 6-1 run by the Eagles to take a 2-1 lead in the match, winning 25-21. 

The late stages of sets continued to be what propelled the final set results as the Greyhounds led for most of set four looking to stave off their first loss of the season before Post went on a 6-1 run after capitalizing on four Assumption errors to take a 19-18 lead. Finding themselves knotted up at 20 for the fourth straight set, it was the oppositions turn to finish the job with three different Greyhounds recording kills to help them stay alive and force a fifth set after winning set four, 25-23 

Six errors to open up set up the decisive fifth set would help the Eagles crack open a 10-5 lead, just five points away from victory. Fighting back with a 5-0 run, Assumption tied up the set at 10 before their seventh error of the frame briefly broke their momentum. Although they would never lead by more than two, back-to-back kills from freshman middle blocker Sophia Kane and junior outside hitter Anna Dean clinched the win for the Greyhounds, who led 13-12 prior to that, to complete the comeback over the Eagles.


BY THE NUMBERS

• Caley Harper continued her torrid stretch with 29 total kills on the afternoon, she has recorded double-digit kills in each of the last three games and tied her career-high of 16 against Assumption
• Hannah Brandt had a monster afternoon, notching a .500 hitting percentage in both matches while tallying 17 total kills on 28 attempts 
• Appearing for four sets for only the third time in her career, Keyah Sinclair tallied seven kills on 14 attempts with two errors for a .357 hitting percentage, the highest of her career for a game when recording double-digit attempts
• Post University has lost their last nine matches that have gone five sets with the last win coming against Dominican (N.Y.) on September 24th, 2021 

WHO'S NEXT
The Eagles begin a string of five consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchups starting on Tuesday evening against Caldwell University in Caldwell, New Jersey at 6:00 PM. Heading into the weekend, the Cougars are 1-1 in conference play with a 1-4 record overall and last season snapped a four-game losing streak against Post University with a 3-1 win at home in October.