Volleyball Clinches NEC Tournament Berth With Four Set Win at Quinnipiac

The Central Connecticut volleyball team needed two wins this weekend in a pair of matches vs. Long Island and Quinnipiac to earn the fourth seed in next week's Northeast Conference tournament. On Saturday they topped Long Island. On Sunday they needed just four sets to top Quinnipiac and earn the trip to the NEC Tournament next weekend. The Blue Devils are now 11-17 overall and 8-8 in NEC play.

The Blue Devils won the first two sets by identical 25-14 scores, before dropping the third set of the match 25-22. They rebounded and clinched the tournament berth with a 25-20 fourth set to earn their second victory of the weekend. Central won five of its final eight matches of the season to qualify for the tournament.

This is the eighth consecutive season that the Blue Devils have advanced to the NEC Tournament.

Junior Sara DeLacey posted 18 kills in only 25 attempts in the match, hitting .600 while making only three errors in the entire match. Sophomore Blaike King added 14 kills to help lead the offensive attack.

Senior Amanda Bayer had 37 assists in the four set match, she added a team-best 18 digs. King added 17 digs to lead the defense, while DeLacey had four block solos in the match.

Central advances to the NEC Tournament and will play top-seed Sacred Heart in the semifinal round on Saturday at Sacred Heart. The Blue Devils lost twice to the Pioneers this season, but on Wednesday night dropped a five-setter at home, losing the fifth set 15-13.

2010 NEC Volleyball Tournament Championship Information