WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Clark University women's volleyball team raced to a quick lead in the decisive fifth set and held off an Eastern Connecticut State University comeback bid to post its third five-set victory over the Warriors in the last three years Tuesday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. Clark won by scores of 25-13, 23-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10.

Trailing 9-2 in the fifth set, Eastern (1-1) pulled to within 11-8 on a kill from sophomore Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury) and two Clark (2-3) attack errors, but could get no closer.

At right: Allie Luppi (dark jersey) collected a career-high 27 digs and commited only one error on 36 reception attempts in Eastern's five-set loss to Clark University Tuesday night at Geissler Gymnasium. (Photo by Liam Murphy)

The Cougars never trailed after the opening points of the first set before the hosts rallied from a 20-13 deficit in the second set. Eastern broke a tie to score the final two points on block assists from sophomores Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, MA) and Ashley Adams (Mystic) and senior Allie Henry's (Middletown) set-ending service ace.

Clark  also took control of the third set, never trailing and using a 5-1 run to build a 13-7 advantage. Eastern forced the decisive fifth set with the close fourth-set victory. The Warriors took the lead for good, 20-19, on kills from Mullen and Adams, and Mullen and Mihalek contributed late kills to seal the victory.

Sophomore Savannah Sanford led all players in the match with 17 kills, freshman Marna Ramos adding nine and sophomore Courtney Pharr seven.  Sophomore libero Mia Cattaneo collected 20 digs, Sanford 17 and Ramos 15 Pharr set for 21 assists and sophomore Tori Whitney 17.

Mihalek led the Warriors with 16 kills and Mullen finished with eight, but Eastern attacked at just .057 on 159 attack attempts. Mihalek added four service aces and junior libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) recorded a career-high 27 digs, Henry nine and Luppi handled 36 receptions with just one error. Freshman Sarah Leonard (Southborough, MA) matched Henry with nine digs and combined for 35 assists with Henry (Leonard with 20, Henry with 15).

Eastern competes in the Newbury College Invitational this weekend.