WATERBURY, Conn. – The margin for error was razor thin for Post University Women's Volleyball on Saturday afternoon in the Drubner Center against Jefferson University. In fact it was so thin that only one point separated them from being swept by the Rams before they turned things around in impressive fashion for their second consecutive five-set win after trailing by two sets. Dropping the first two sets of the match and being on the brink in set three down 24-23, the Eagles found a way again to come from behind and win, this time against Jefferson to make it seven straight wins and boost their conference record to 11-1 this season.

With four matches to go, Post currently sits atop the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference standings at 11-1 with a two-game lead on the University of Bridgeport, who they play on November 13th, and a three-game lead on Dominican (N.Y.) who sits in third. With all that in mind, the Eagles simply need a win in their next match against the Lady Chargers to ensure at least a top-two seed in the North Division to secure a home match in the CACC Tournament, but they will still have work to do after that to lock up their first North Division title since 2018. 

THE BASICS

Post University 3, Jefferson University 2

Post University (16-8, 11-1 CACC)

Jefferson University (11-15, 6-6 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
With only 13 digs after two sets and trailing 2-0, it looked like junior libero Alyssa Groves would have to wait another match to break the program record for career digs which sat at 1,689 from Kerry Smith from 2005-2008. However, the Eagles would have other plans in mind which helped Groves shatter the record after producing 26 digs over the next three sets for a total of 39 digs in the match. 

Errors were the major undoing of the Eagles in the first two sets as 15 combined errors, including 10 in the first set helped the Rams win 25-17 and 25-16 to go ahead 2-0 after only committing six total in the same stretch themselves. But the next three sets would see Post have as many errors as they did in that first set with 10 to help spur on the comeback win. However, none of it would have been possible if not for staving off the loss in set three in which they found themselves down 24-23 after an attack error from graduate outside hitter Kristina Peric. 

With their backs against the wall, senior outside hitter Hannah Brandt knotted up the set at 25 before freshman middle blocker Pemi Areola's attack error and a Peric service ace gave Post life with a 26-24 set win. From there, it was nearly all Eagles as they attacked at a game-high .304 with 19 kills in a set they committed just five errors to produce a 25-19 victory to force a fifth set.

That fifth set would be marked by four kills for Peric and a block to help the Eagles go on runs of 4-0 and 5-0 to take a commanding 10-3 lead and never look back in an eventual 15-7 set win and 3-2 overall team victory. Peric would be a big reason why Post pulled off the comeback as she finished with a team and match-high 24 kills on 62 attempts for a .258 attack percentage and 17 digs. 

Graduate outside hitter Sara Enright also helped will the Eagles to victory with 18 kills on 48 attempts for a .333 attack percentage to go along with her 14 digs. On the other side, senior outside hitter Morgan Ritchie led the Rams with 19 kills and a team-high 23 digs in the defeat, and sophomore outside hitter Emma McKenna as well as freshman middle blocker Liz Tanis had 12 and 10 kills respectively. 

Senior setter Maria Fernanda Branco led all players in assists today with 29 and graduate setter Izabella Rae had 22 assists for the Eagles while graduate setter Caroline Bond notched 28 assists and senior setter Kristine Guenther finished with 20 assists for the Rams. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Alyssa Groves finished with 39 digs in today's match, putting her at 1,705 in her career, she is now the program leader for most digs all-time, surpassing Kerry Smith (2005-08) who owned the all-time record with 1,689 career digs entering the day 
• When Post University's attack percentage is above .227 for an entire match, they are 11-0 this season – When the Eagles attack below .200 as a team, they are 5-8 overall, Post attacked at a .227 clip this afternoon against Jefferson University
• This is the second time since October 14th, 2023, against Holy Family University in which Post University trailed 2-0 in a match and came back to win in five sets and the second time in as many matches that it has happened for the Eagles -- Post University is now 5-3 in five-set matches this season 
• At 11-1 in conference play this season, this is the best start for Post University in the CACC since they were 16-1 in 2016 before finishing 17-2 overall

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University has four more matches remaining in the regular season with a big one set for Thursday evening in the Drubner Center at 6:00 PM against Dominican (N.Y.) in a rematch from earlier this year which the Eagles won on the road in four sets. A win for Post would ensure at least a top two seed in the CACC North Division and that they would play at home in the CACC Quarterfinals in a couple of weeks.