WILLIMANTIC, Conn. –  Behind the serving of  junior Nayeli Cruz Martinez (Toa Baja, P.R.), the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team scored eight straight points in the first set after an early deficit and went on to a three-set Little East Conference victory over Rhode Island College Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. Scores were 25-13, 25-10, 25-21.
 
After Eastern spotted Rhode Island (7-10, 2-4 LEC) an early 3-0 lead in the opening set, Eastern (12-5, 4-2 LEC), Cruz Martinez served seven straight points to help lift the Warriors into an 8-3 lead on the way to the 12-point victory.
 
In the second set, Eastern scored four straight to snap the only tie of the match, 2-2, en route to the 15-point win. Rhode Island scored the first four points of the third set before the Warriors surged ahead for good – again behind the serving of Cruz Martinez.  With the score tied, 13-13, senior Abby Stern (Manchester) pushed Eastern into the lead for good, 14-13 as the Warriors reeled off six straight points to build an 18-13 lead on the way to their 11^th straight victory over the Anchorwomen.
 
Eastern was the pre-season favorite to win the LEC regular-season title while RIC was picked for eighth in the nine-team conference. Plymouth (17-0, 5-0 LEC) leads the LEC, 1 ½ games ahead of Eastern and Massachusetts Dartmouth.
 
The Warriors attacked at a season-high .388, with Stern and seniors Anna Barry (Andover) and Alaetra Long (Lincoln, NE) combining for 32 of the team's 42 kills and a .450 attack percentage. Stern led everyone with 12 kills and attacked at .400 while Barry followed with ten kills and did not commit an attack error for a .588 attack percentage, and Long added ten kills and a .389 attack percentage.
 
Stern had four service aces and her ten digs moved her to within four of becoming the third player in program history with as many as 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. Stern became the tenth player in program history with 1,000 kills in a five-set LEC loss at  Keene State College Oct. 2.
 
Senior Meg Verizzi (Lebanon), who exceeded 1,000 career assists this past weekend at Castleton University, added 38 more to her total, while Long followed stern with nine digs.
 
Led by sophomore Angelly Polanco and junior Amelia Murphy, the Anchorwomen collected 13 blocks. Polanco had four assists and Murphy a solo and two assists. Murphy had eight kills but the Anchorwomen attacked at just .011, including .000 in each of the final two sets. Freshman Rhiannon Hodovanec handled 25 serve receptions with an error and junior libero Wynter Conlon 12 without a miscue. Sophomore Aubrey St. Onge and freshman Sydney Green combined for 17 assists.
 
In non-conference play, Eastern visits Western New England University Saturday for a 10 a.m. start against the Golden Bears and faces Clark University at noon.