BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Sara van Gisteren delivered 25 kills and 13 digs as LIU rallied past Central Connecticut State in four sets Friday night at the Steinberg Wellness Center, extending its winning streak to 13 matches.
The Sharks won 24-26, 26-24, 25-14, 25-16 to improve to 13-7 overall and remain unbeaten in NEC play at 9-0.
Van Gisteren hit .432 on 44 attempts, leading an LIU offense that finished with 48 kills and a .265 hitting percentage. Dilara Elmacioglu directed the attack with 39 assists and added five blocks, five digs and two service aces.
Reese Teves led the defense with 19 digs and contributed three aces. Miabella Musignac added 14 digs and three aces, while Yasmeen Muhammad anchored the front row with six blocks, including four solo stops. Sara Garcia and Elmacioglu each recorded five blocks as LIU finished with a 13-4 advantage at the net.
After a tightly contested opening set, the Sharks delivered the match's turning point in the second. Trailing 21-15, LIU closed on an 11-3 run to even the match. Muhammad contributed a solo block and teamed with Elmacioglu for another during the comeback, and Musignac sealed the 26-24 win with a service ace.
LIU took control in the third set, hitting .400 with 12 kills and just two attack errors. A seven-point run stretched a 9-8 lead to 16-8, with Elmacioglu serving six consecutive points. The Sharks scored the final five points of the set, finishing on a block by Bella Correia and Garcia.
The Sharks carried that momentum into the fourth, building a 10-4 lead behind a run that included consecutive aces from Teves. LIU hit .357 in the final set, and van Gisteren put away the match-winning kill to complete the comeback.
Correia finished with eight kills, nine digs and four blocks. Garcia added seven kills, while Muhammad contributed five. LIU outdug Central Connecticut State 63-40 and held the Blue Devils to a .102 hitting percentage.
LIU hosts Central Connecticut State again Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. at the Brooklyn Athletic Center.
