DANBURY – After winning four of its first five matches decided in five sets, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team dropped its second five-match decision in four days and was eliminated in the first round of the Little East Conference by Western Connecticut State University Tuesday night at the O'Neill Center. Eastern lost by 17-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 7-15.

After fifth-seeded Eastern  (12-17) scored seven of the final ten points against fourth-seeded Western (21-11) to tie the match with a victory in the fourth set and to force a decisive set, the defending LEC playoff champions scored eight consecutive points to wipe out Eastern's early lead and went on to its tenth win in 11 home matches this year.

In that run of eight straight points, All-LEC sophomore hitter Brittany Steele had three kills, All-LEC junior setter Danielle Kaminsky one and junior hitter Jacqueline Kanuk one. The Warriors also had three consecutive attack errors in that span.

Western dug up 17 balls in that final set, allowing Eastern only two kills on 25 attempts for a -.080 percentage. Eastern freshman Sage Tourigny (Fitzwilliam, NH) had two blocks and senior Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) and sophomore Michelle Valliere (Lebanon) three digs each in that final set. 

Eastern, which lost six of its final seven and was 2-10 on its opponent's court this year, got a team-high 17 kills on 58 attempts from junior Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury), a combined 48 digs from Luppi and Valliere, five blocks from Tourigny and nine kills and a .308 attack percentage from junior Hannah Bryant (Avon). Luppi and Valliere also combined on 48 reception attempts without an error. Freshman Leah Sopneski (Deep River) had 24 assists and sophomore Amanda Tourjee (Waterford) 19.

Steele led all players with 20 kills for Western, All-LEC junior hitter Karissa Smith adding 16 and Kanuk 15. Kaminsky had 50 assists, junior Cady Cordes handled 25 receptions without an error and freshman Jenna Pisano collected a team-high 24 digs.