WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team set a tone by scoring the first six points of the opening set and went on to a 25-18, 25-23, 25-16 Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University Tuesday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

At right: Warriors celebrate a late point in Tuesday's Little East Conference sweep of Western Connecticut. (Photo by Jen Shuler)

 The sweep is the first for Eastern (11-9, 2-1 Little East) against Western (17-7, 2-1 Little East)  in seven years and the victory the first since a five-set upset of the Colonials in the opening round of the 2011 Little East playoffs.

 The top blocking team in the conference, Eastern recorded17 blocks and forced the Colonials into a .000 attack percentage (25 attack errors against 25 kills). Six-foot freshman Hannah Koehler (Bedford, NH) led Eastern with six blocks and 6-foot-1 inch sophomore Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, MA) four.

Junior libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) served five consecutive points and freshman Amanda Tourjee (Waterford) followed by serving seven in a row as Eastern  raced to a 14-1 lead in the first set. After the Colonials got as close as four points (16-12), Eastern reeled off four straight to pull away.

Western, which has lost four of its last six, held a slim lead throughout most of the second set and took a one-point lead down the stretch before the Warriors scored the final three for the two-point victory. Down 23-22, Eastern tied the set on a kill by Mullen, who then teamed with six-foot freshman Caryn Sibiskie (Rockfall) for a block to create set point. A Western attack error ended the set.

The third set was again tight throughout until an 8-1 spurt pushed the hosts into an insurmountable 17-10 lead. Luppi served five straight points in that stretch (totaling three aces in the match) to cap the 17-10 lead as the Warriors went on to their fourth win in five outings.

Mullen and sophomore outside Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury) – last year's LEC Rookie-of-the-Year -- combined for 21 kills and a .197 attack percentage, with sophomore outside Ashley Adams (Mystic) chipping in six kills and a .294 attack percentage. Tourjee served 14 times in the match with just one error.

In addition to her kills, Mihalek handled 17 receptions without an error, sophomore Nina Zimmitti (East Hampton) coming off the bench to submit a clean sheet on 11 reception attempts.  Luppi led all players in the match with 15 digs, Mihalek adding 11. Allie Henry (Middletown), Eastern's only senior, set for 23 assists, Tourjee 11.

Western senior Nina Wojtkiewicz (Griswold) led the Colonials with 14 digs, served 18 times without an error and handled 16 receptions flawlessly. Sophomore outside Jaqueline Kanuk (New Fairfield)  topped Western with nine kills and sophomore setter Danielle Kaminsky (Southington) and senior setter Jennifer Hogan (Franklin Square, NY) combined for 20 assists.

Eastern visits Babson College Saturday at 1 p.m.