NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The LIU volleyball team split with Central Connecticut State on the road Wednesday afternoon, moving to 5-3 in Northeast Conference action. The Sharks swept the first game, 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-20), before falling in the second, 3-2 (25-19, 24-26, 25-18, 21-25, 15-13).
SHARK BITES
- The Sharks won the first match of the day with relative ease. LIU had seven service aces in the match, and hit .324 in the third set.
- Sophomore Karolina Nva led LIU in the first set with 19 kills (and a .400 hitting percentage), along with five digs.
- Senior Jovana Stekovic had 13 kills, nine digs and three service aces.
- Freshman setter Ainsley Malis had 36 assists and seven digs, while junior libero Anastasia Scott had 19 digs to lead the defense.
- The second game was a battle that lasted over two hours. The two teams had nearly identical team statistics, except where CCSU exceled at the net, with 19 blocks to LIU's nine. LIU's offense also struggled, as the Sharks hit just .114 in match number two.
- Nova once again led LIU, with 26 kills in the five sets, along with 10 digs and five blocks. Stekovic had 19 kills and 21 digs, for another Shark double double.
- Miranda Strongman, Kristina Mamic and Barbora Hoskova combined for 11 blocks at the net. Strongman also had eight digs and six kills for LIU.
- The Sharks two setters split time, with Malis registering 23 assists, and freshman Allie Merz tallying 30 assists.
- Scott had 25 digs to lead the defense, while Ella Ruder added 15 digs.
- Up next, the Sharks get a respite before hosting Merrimack College for a double header, Friday, March 26 at 4 p.m.
