BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The Long Island University volleyball team fell to Columbia, 3-2 (25-16, 25-14, 9-25, 22-25, 13-15), to conclude non-conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

Senior Kora Schaberl led the offense with 24 kills on the match, posting a .283 hitting percentage. Freshman Karolina Nova picked up her second consecutive double-double with 15 kills on a .406 hitting percentage to go with 16 digs. Junior Masa Zirojevic added seven kills and 14 digs for LIU. Senior Amanda Hubbard dished out a set-high 49 assists and sophomore Anastasia Scott recorded a team-high 17 digs.

Back-and-forth play kicked off the match with an 8-8 standstill to start the first set. LIU would make the first run of the match with a 5-1 stretch on a kills from Schaberl and Nova coupled with a few errors by the opposition for the 13-9 lead. Columbia would keep pace from there eventually cutting the Sharks lead to 17-15. LIU closed out the opening set with a 8-1 run as a service ace from Scott sealed the set, 25-16.

The second set opened exactly like the first with both teams trading points in the early stages as the set was knotted up at 10-10. LIU created separation shortly after with an extended 10-3 stretch to pull ahead 20-13 lead. A point by the Lions broke things up for a rotation but the Sharks ended the set on a five-point run on four kills Schaberl, Nova and junior Kristina Mamic for the 25-14 set win. LIU posted a .567 hitting percentage in the set.

Columbia held the early 6-3 advantage to start the third set before LIU rattled off six straight points, led by a pair of block assists from Mamic and Nova. The Lions broke out their first run of the game with a 10-1 stretch to take the lead 16-7. Columbia continued to keep the distance in the set on a .542 hitting percentage for the 25-9 set win.

The Lions continued to hold the slight lead in the fourth frame with a two-point cushion early with a 8-6 lead. LIU used a two straight points as a kill from Zirojevic tied up the set at 10-10. From there both teams would take shots at the lead on short runs as the set built to a 20-20 drae. The Sharks took the brief lead on an error by Columbia to force a time out. The opposition responded out of the time out with a 5-1 run for the 25-22 set win and force the deciding set.

Both teams hit the fifth and final set for the second straight game with LIU holding the slight 3-2 advantage early. Columbia rattled off three straight points to take the lead but the Sharks answered the call with three points of their own to tie the set up at 6-6. From there both teams would go back and forth before the Lions rattled off two straight points for the slight 11-10 lead. LIU responded with three straight points once again as a kill from Schaberl pushed the score to 13-11. Columbia pushed through with the final run of the match using four straight points for the 15-13 set win and the match.

UP NEXT

The Sharks open Northeast Conference play next weekend, starting with a trip up to Central Connecticut on Friday, September 27.