Women's Volleyball Tops NYIT In Five Sets In Battle Of ECC And Regional Heavyweights
Purple Knights Now One Win Away From Clinching Conference Regular Season Crown
Old Westbury, N.Y.-It was a battle of East Coast Conference and East Region women's volleyball heavyweights on Thursday evening on Long Island, as the ECC-leading and number two ranked team in the East Region by the NCAA, University of Bridgeport Purple Knights traveled to the East Region's top ranked team by the NCAA and second place squad in the ECC standings, the NYIT Bears. Thursday match did not disappoint as UB pulled out a thrilling, five-set 18-25, 25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 15-8 victory avenging a five-set lost in Connecticut on October 10. The win ups the Purple Knights overall record to 16-2, and the team is now 12-1 in the ECC. Bridgeport has now won 10 consecutive matches and 14 of its last 15 contests. NYIT is now 24-5 overall and 11-4 in conference play. Bridgeport is now also just one win away from clinching the 2013 ECC Regular Season Title and earning the honor of hosting the 2013 East Coast Conference Championship Tournament which will take place on November 22 and 23.
Sophomore Sarah Rosa (Itajuba, Brazil) paced the Bridgeport offense with 17 kills, and she recorded a double-double adding 12 digs plus chipped in two service aces.
Junior Biljana Savic (Novi Sad, Serbia) continued here top-notch all-around play this season notching her third triple-double in the last four matches with 26 assists, 13 digs and 12 kills.
Junior Ying Shen (Nanjing, China) also had a double-double in Thursday's win with 12 kills and 10 digs. Classmate Larissa Oliveira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) rounded out the UB players in double-digit kills with 11, and she also added three blocks (one solo).
Senior setter Fernanda Silva (Brasilia, Brazil) helped direct the Bridgeport offense with 24 assists, and sophomore libero Martina Santia (Seezze, Italy) excelled on defense with 11 digs.
The UB volleyball team is back in action at home on Tuesday night, November 12 when they host LIU Post in ECC action. Game time in Hubbell Gym is set for 7:00 p.m.