Syracuse, N.Y.  – The Le Moyne College volleyball team opened their 2025 NEC schedule by hosting LIU at Ted Grant Court on Friday night. The Dolphins dropped the match in three sets, with set scores of 25-20, 25-16, 25-11. Le Moyne now sits with a 1-11 record overall and 0-1 record in conference action on the season.  

In set one, Le Moyne remained within three points at the 16-13 mark before LIU struck for five straight points and fought off a late comeback from the Dolphins to take it, 25-20. The Dolphins came out strong in set two, taking a 5-2 lead before the Sharks took seven consecutive points and held their lead the rest of the way en route to a 25-16 set victory. LIU came out to a 6-0 lead in set three and put together a trio of three-plus consecutive point streaks to limit the Dolphins' offense. The Sharks took the set, 25-11, to close the match in three sets. 

Junior opposite hitter Branwyn Lupton (Napanee, O.N. / Napanee District Secondary School) led Le Moyne with 10 kills with sophomore outside hitter Nina Salas (Austin, T.X. / McNeil) registering another five against the Sharks. Senior setter/DS Haley Gerken (Buffalo, N.Y. / Frontier) led in assists with 16 as sophomore outside hitter Denali Louden (Murrieta, C.A. / Murrieta Mesa) recorded the 'Phins lone service ace in the loss. 

On the defensive end, sophomore libero/DS Brooke Menke (St. Louis, M.O. / Visitation Academy) put up a team-high 12 digs as junior libero/DS Haley Buescher (Toledo, O.H. / St. Ursula Academy) recorded another eight for the squad. Freshman middle hitter Eiley Schneider (Ramsey, N.J. / Ramsey) led with four blocks while senior middle hitter Nil Ezgi Tasdelen (Izmir, Turkey / Ugur Okullari) recorded three and Lupton added another two blocks against LIU. 

For the Sharks, Sara van Gisteren (17) and Sara Garcia (11) led with double-digit kills as Karly Klear recorded a match-best 33 assists and Bella Correia rounded out the offense with three service aces to lead the team. Defensively, Miabella Musignac put up 15 digs while van Gisteren and Yasmeen Muhammad led the team with four blocks apiece. 

What's Next:
Le Moyne will host LIU and close out their season series at Ted Grant Court tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m.