Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J.—The Long Island University volleyball team earned its third straight Northeast Conference victory Saturday night with a straight set sweep (25-20, 25-16, 25-17) over Fairleigh Dickinson at the Rothman Center.

Rookie Karolina Nova paced the LIU offense with 12 kills on a .391 hitting percentage. The two-time reigning NEC Rookie of the Week added a team-high 19 digs defensively for her fifth straight double-double. Senior Kora Schaberl contributed nine kills for the Sharks. Freshman Miranda Strongman registered eight kills on a team-high .667 hitting percentage.

Senior Amanda Hubbard dished out 31 assists and recorded eight digs. Sophomore libero Anastasia Scott contributed 12 digs for the Sharks. LIU registered a .264 hitting percentage on the night while holding the Knights to a .092 clip. The Sharks also recorded a season-high nine service aces on the night.

The Knights got out to an early 5-2 advantage to start the match. LIU used kills by Schaberl and freshman Barbora Hoskova along with a service ace to tie up the set 5-5. Both teams traded points in the next few rotations before the Sharks used another three point run on a kill by Strongman, a service ace from Schaberl and FDU error to take a 9-6 lead. FDU then worked its way back to tie the set up at 13-13. LIU created separation with a 6-1 stretch shortly after for a 19-14 advantage. FDU cut the deficit back down to three as the Sharks held on to a 23-20 lead. A service ace from Nova, the fifth service ace of the opening set for the Sharks sealed the 25-20 set win.

LIU carried momentum over into the second set with a 6-2 opening stretch. The Knights hung around as the first half of the set wore on, cutting the Sharks lead to one at 12-11. LIU put together a six-point run right after, on kills from Hoskova, Nova and junior Masa Zirojevic for a 18-11 advantage. FDU rattled three straight points to break up the LIU charge to bring the score to 18-14. A 7-2 closing stretch by the Sharks on three kills from Zirojevic and a pair of kills from Strongman led way to a 25-16 second set win.

The third set saw the Sharks get out to an early lead once again, with a 7-3 start on five kills across the board. FDU cut down the deficit in the opening stages of the set for a 12-10 LIU lead. A 3-1 stretch immediately after on kills by Hoskova, Nova and Strongman gave the Sharks a 15-11 advantage. The Knights continued to hang around cutting the lead to two at 16-14. LIU responded with a four-point run to jump ahead 20-14. The lead continued to hold as the Sharks closed the set and match on three straight points for the 25-17 set win. LIU closed the match strong with a .326 hitting percentage in the final set. 

UP NEXT

LIU hits the road one more weekend before opening a four-game homestand. The Sharks travel to Pennsylvania next weekend, taking on Saint Francis U on Friday, October 11.