WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Seniors Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury) and Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, MA) and junior Carly Balskus (Hebron) combined for 37 kills as the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team won the final two sets by two points each in a five-set victory over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Wednesday night at Geissler Gym. Scores were 18-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13.

Swept by Coast Guard (2-3) the past two years, Eastern (5-1) erased a 14-11 deficit in the fourth set, taking the lead for good, 16-15 on a service ace from Caryn Sibiskie. In the final set, the Warriors wiped out an 11-8 deficit, outscoring the Bears 7-2 the rest of the way. Eastern scored four straight to take a 12-11 lead on a Coast Guard attack error, and broke a 13-all tie on another Coast Guard attack error in a which match last two hours and 27 minutes

Mihalek had 14 kills with a .316 attack percentage, Mullen 12 with a .500 attack percentage and Balskus 11 kills, sparking Eastern's offense to a .248 attack percentage to improve its season mark to .233.

Junior libero Michelle Valliere (Lebanon) and Mihalek combined to handle 59 serves with only four errors and each contributed 15 digs.  Junior Amanda Tourjee (Waterford) led Eastern with 20 assists, senior Fabiana Della-Monica (Newark, DE) chipping in 18

Freshman Angelou Dunto led Coast Guard with 16 kills and 19 digs and did not commit an error on 20 receptions; senior Susan West adding 14 kills and commiting only one error on 27 reception attempts. Sophomore setter Hailye Reynolds had 41 assists, freshman Ali Gates 16 digs.

Eastern had lost ten of its previous 12 against Coast Guard entering the contest.

Eastern competes in the Trinity College Invitational Friday and Saturday, facing the host school Friday at 7 p.m.

Eastern Conn. 3, U.S. Coast Guard Academy 2

CGA  (2-3)                  25    17    25   23    13

Eastern (5-1)               18    25    19   25    15