Brooklyn, N.Y. – Sara van Gisteren tallied 15 kills to lead LIU to a 3-0 win over the Le Moyne College volleyball team in the NEC opener for both teams on Friday evening at the Brooklyn Athletics Center.
The Sharks, who have won five matches in a row, scored the first five points of the night and nine of the opening 10. After the teams split the next eight points, LIU rattled off 12 of the final 15 points, including the last six, to close out the first set, 25-8. The teams traded points to open the second set. After the Dolphins took a 6-4 lead, LIU answered with six points in a row and 10 of the next 11 to take a 14-7 advantage. Le Moyne countered with six points of their own to trim its deficit back to one. The Sharks responded with a pair of 3-0 spurts around three Le Moyne points before closing out the set with the last four points for a 25-16 win. LIU scored the first six points of the third set and eight of the opening nine. After a 4-2 spurt by the Dolphins, LIU ran off seven consecutive points and 11 of the next 13 for a 21-7 advantage. The teams then alternated points as the Sharks closed out the set, 25-12.
Third year outside hitter
Nina Salas (Austin, Texas/McNeil) led the Dolphins with four kills and four digs. First year setter
Katie Barbour (Durham, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) directed the offense with 12 assists and added two blocks and two digs.
van Gisteren hit .423 en route to her match-high kill total, while adding four blocks. Bella Correia landed 11 kills on a .526 hitting percentage and had six digs and three blocks. Dilara Elmacioglu facilitated the offense with 32 assists, while adding seven digs, three service aces and two blocks. Reese Teves led the defense with 11 digs and added six assists and two service aces.
The Dolphins and Sharks complete the season series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
