Volleyball Falls at LIU Brooklyn, 3-1, on Friday

The Central Connecticut volleyball team had its five-match win streak halted at LIU Brooklyn, 3-1 (25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 26-24) on Friday night in Brooklyn, NY. The Blue Devils entered the match atop the Northeast Conference, but slip to 13-7 overall and 6-3 in conference play following the setback. Freshman Emma Henderson posted a double-double for Central with 13 kills and 14 digs.

The Blue Devils will look to rebound at St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday. Start time is set for 4:00 p.m.

Junior Raquel Quirarte led the CCSU attack with 14 kills, while narrowly missing a double-double with nine digs. Sophomore Madelyn Kaprelyan had 12 kills. Sophomore Erin McDermott posted 26 assists, along with nine digs, while junior Kaitlyn Kushman finished with 18 assists.

Defensively, senior Lindsey Massicotte had 34 digs and did not commit a reception error. The Blue Devils had 13.5 blocks as a team, led by senior Maddie Smith who had eight total blocks.

LIU, which improved to 14-9 overall and 7-3 in the NEC with the win, used a 5-0 run in the first set to build a 12-5 lead. The Blue Devils would score six unanswered late in the set with Kushman serving five straight points and Quirarte posting three kills to close within, 19-17, but the Blackbirds would manage to fend off the threat and win the first set.

In the second set, Central would use a 5-0 run to build a seven-point cushion of its own. A kill by Henderson gave CCSU a 14-7 lead it would not relinquish. A kill by Kaprelyan would close the frame and tie the match at one set apiece.

The Blackbirds scored six straight to take an early, 8-3, lead in the third set. Central would fight back to get within, 16-15, but a run of four straight by LIU would end the rally and the Blackbirds went on to take the set, 25-19.

The Blue Devils opened the fourth set with a run of five points to go ahead, 5-1. Central would push the lead to 18-12 and force an LIU timeout. The Blackbirds regrouped in the break, responding by closing within 20-19 to force a Blue Devils timeout. The LIU run would reach 9-2 as the home side went ahead, 21-20, before Central ran off three straight to go ahead 23-21. LIU would respond with three straight to gain match point, but a kill by Henderson kept the frame going before the Blackbirds finished with the final two points to take the frame, 26-24.

Central will face St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.