NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team attacked at just .090 and commited 18 reception errors in a 3-1 loss to Simmons College in the opening round of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Bear Invitational Tuesday night at Roland Field House.  Set scores were 22-25, 25-23, 17-25, 20-25.

Eastern (0-2) tied the match by winning the second set -- rallying after giving up an 18-11 lead – by scoring the final four points on two Simmons (1-1) errors and a pair of kills by junior outside Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury).

In the all-important third set, Simmons scored seven straight points to move out to a 12-8 lead. The Warriors trailed the rest of the way, although a string of four straight points on kills from junior outsides Hannah Bryant (Avon) and Amanda Tyler (Longmeadow, MA) and sophomore middle Caryn Sibiskie (Rockfall) and a service ace by senior libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) cut the Simmons lead to 16-15.

The Warriors, who had played Simmons only once previously (in 1981), led early in the fourth set but the Sharks took the lead for good on a run of five straight points – three on service aces by senior Nicole Alberghini, who combined with teammate Susan Wilson for 12 in the match.

Mihalek led Eastern with 11 kills but attacked at only .054. Luppi  led all players in the match with 20 digs, Mihalek adding 17. Eastern's two setters – both newcomers – combined for 24 assists, junior setter Fabiana Della-Monica (Newark, DE) totaling 13 and freshman Leah Sopneski (Deep River) adding 11. Sophomore Amanda Tourjee (Waterford) chipped in eight.

Eastern faces Newbury College Saturday at 1 p.m. and Coast Guard at 3 p.m.

 Simmons College 3, Eastern Conn. 1

Simmons         (1-1)    25        23        25        25

Eastern Conn. (0-2)    22        25        17        20