WILLIMANTIC, Conn. --  Salve Regina University's top four offensive players combined for 43 kills as the Seahawks bounced back from a two-point opening-set loss to trim Eastern Connecticut State University in four sets, 28-30, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23.

At right: Kay Mullen attacks against the block of Erin McGloin (13) and Tara Kuck (17) in Tuesday's four-set loss to Salve Regina at Geissler Gym. (Photo by Liam Murphy)

After the teams split two-point decisions, Salve (6-4) took control early in the third set by scoring three straight points to break the sixth and final tie. Senior Jennifer Duggan picked up a pair of kills and 6-foot-1 inch Emily Lipinski one to keep the Seahawks in front as Eastern (5-5) was unable to get closer the rest of the way.

In the final set, neither team led by more than three points until the visitors used a run of eight straight points to surge into a five-point, 23-17 lead Lipinski had two kills and Duggan one in that run. Trailing by six, Eastern ripped off five points of its own to cut the gap to one on a two service aces from senior Allie Henry (Middletown) and two kills from first-year sophomore Hannah Bryant (Avon) before the Seahawks closed out the win.

Duggan  led Salve with 14 kills, senior Tara Kuck adding 11 and senior Erin McGloin and Lipinski adding nine each, with Lipinsky attacking at .444. Senior setter Taylor Violet collected 37 assists, Kuck 24 digs and senior libero Dianna Tauro  16. McGloin had five of her team's seven blocks.

Eastern, playing its first home match since Sept. 2,  got 19 kills and a .265 attack percentage from sophomore Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury), who amassed a career-high total of kills in a four-set match to go along with 11 digs. Henry totaled 22 assists, seven digs and four  service aces and commited only one service error on 23 tries. Junior libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) had 21 digs and a .963 reception percentage on 27 attempts. Junior Bry Kelly (Dunbarton, NH) had five kills, four block assists and four digs and sophomore Amanda Tyler (Longmeadow, MA) five kills, 16 serves with just one error, a .947 reception percentage on 19 attempts, and seven digs.  Six-foot freshman Hannah Koehler (Bedford, NH) was credited with eight blocks, three of them solos.

Eastern hosts Wesleyan University Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.