WATERBURY, Conn. – It was the statement win that Post University Women's Volleyball needed in the early part of the season. Coming off a win less than 24 hours ago against Caldwell University in the Drubner Center, the Eagles faced a more formidable opponent in the University of New Haven on Wednesday night, a team that went to the NCAA Tournament a year ago and beat Post in four sets last year.

Adding to the backstory, the Chargers entered this game a perfect 3-0 against Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opponents this season having beaten the University of Bridgeport, Jefferson University, and Georgian Court University in sweeping fashion. But that all changed as junior libero Alyssa Groves had a career-high 48 digs and senior outside hitter Caley Harper registered 19 kills to lead Post to their first win over New Haven since 2016, 3-1, in four sets.

THE BASICS

Post University 3, University of New Haven 1

Post University (7-6)

University of New Haven (4-6)

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was by all means a gritty game for Post from start to finish as no points came easy and the long rallies were aplenty. Harper got her night started with her first kill as the Eagles found themselves down 3-1 early in the first set before graduate outside hitter brought the team even eventually at five all with back-to-back kills. The Chargers would maintain the lead while only allowing Post to tie the match seven times before going on a 4-0 run that made the difference.
Down 21-19, Harper led things off with a kill, and graduate outside hitter Kristina Peric had one as well during the run to give the Eagles their first lead, 22-21, and after the Chargers pulled within one on match point, Enright finished the job with a kill for the 25-23 set win.

Coming out swinging in set two, New Haven opened up a 4-1 lead on back-to-back kills from senior middle blocker Amber Williams, who had five total in the match. But it would take some time for the Eagles to make their move and jump in front. Using a 7-1 run while trailing 15-14, Harper, Enright, and senior middle hitter Hannah Brandt each tallied kills to help Post get ahead by five, 21-16. That five-point edge would be all the Eagles needed at Peric closed the set with back-to-back kills for the 25-20 win which put Post one set away from knocking off the Chargers.

For a while in the third set, it seemed like the Eagles would have to settle for trying to win the match as they fell behind 16-6 as the Chargers built what seemed like an insurmountable lead. But using two kills from Peric, a kill from senior outside hitter Tamara Radovanov, and a service ace from senior setter Maria Fernanda Branco, that deficit was trimmed to five and eventually one, 20-19 after another 5-0 run later on.

However, senior outside hitter Macy Brown shut down the comeback attempt that Post had going for them down 22-21 with two kills on the last three Charger points as they forced a fourth set, winning 25-22. It would take another comeback from Post in set four to secure the win as they trailed by as many as seven points, 13-6, with New Haven looking to be in full control and ready to force a fifth and final set.

Three errors and a Harper kill were paramount in turning the tides on the set and then down 14-10, the Eagles made their move. Three straight kills from Harper along with two service aces from Groves highlighted what was an 8-0 run by Post to take an 18-14 lead which they would not relinquish. The rest of the way it would be all Eagles en route to the four-set win as Peric and Brandt capped off a game-ending 3-0 run in a 25-18 set with a block that sealed the victory.
Beyond the big games from Groves and Harper, Fernanda Branco had 35 assists and 17 digs while Peric recorded 12 kills and 15 digs as well as a 15-kill, 15-dig match for Enright to help pace the entirety of the Eagle offense and defense.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Alyssa Groves tallied a career-high 48 digs in today's match putting her at 1,386 in her career, she is currently second all-time in digs in program history chasing only Kerry Smith (2005-08) who owns the all-time record with 1,689 career digs
• Post University becomes the first team in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference to beat New Haven this season after the Chargers had swept through their last three opponents in straight sets, all from the CACC
• With a 7-6 record on the year, Post University is above the .500 mark since they were 1-0 to start the 2021 season with a win over Southern New Hampshire University
• This is only the second time in program history in which Post University has defeated the University of New Haven with the last win coming in 2016 also in four sets – It is the first time the Eagles have beaten the Chargers at home in program history

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University has the next week off before beginning a two-game conference road swing starting next Wednesday at Dominican (N.Y.) at 7:00 PM. Both teams split their home-and-home series last year with both winning on the road and the last matchup being a five-set, 3-2, come-from-behind victory for the Eagles.