WILLIMANTIC,  Conn. – Nina Wojtkiewicz and Paxton Thornton combined for 17 kills to lead the Western Connecticut State University women's volleyball team to a sweep of Eastern Connecticut State University Tuesday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. Game scores were  25-17, 25-20, 25-20.

With  the win, Western (11-8, 3-0 LEC) moves into a three-way tie for first place in conference with defending champion Massachusetts Boston and Keene State College. All three teams are 3-0.  Eastern (7-10, 0-3 LEC)  has dropped five of its last six to Western, the victory coming in the first round of last year's conference tournament.

Western , which has won three straight and eight of its last 11, never trailed in the first set, usinig a run of five straight points to move out to a 14-8 lead. Thronton and  Melanie Lombardi both had kills in that stretch and  Caitlin Van Camp a block. Eastern led briefly in the second set but never by more than two points before the Colonials took the lead for good with five straight poinits that gave them a 14-10 advantage.There were 11 ties in the third set before the visitors broke the final one with a pair of points that gave them an 18-16 lead.

Wojtkiewicz led Western with nine kills and 15 digs, , Thornton and Shirley Rodriguez adding 13 digs. Thornton had eight kills. Jennifer Hogan set for 27 assists.

Katie Wilson and Nicki Gasch combined for 27 kills for Eastern and Wilson and Danielle Bourne combined for 40 digs. Erynn Miller added 11 digs, Samantha Browning adding ten and Allie Henry nine digs and 35 assists.

Eastern hosts Worcester State University at noon and the University of New England at 4 p.m. Saturday.