WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore Paige Savitsky (Centereach, NY) saved both of her kills in the deciding set for the right time, helping to close out a five-set women's volleyball non-conference victory with the team's final two points against Roger Williams University in the season-opener for both teams Wednesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

In a match which featured 21 ties and ten lead changes, Eastern rallied from a set down to capture the final two sets in snapping a five-match losing streak against Roger Williams in a series where the Warriors were swept three times and won only two sets in those five straight losses.

Scores were 18-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-20, 15-12.

The Warriors were coming off a perfect 5-0 spring season against Little East Conference opponents but were playing their first fall match since dropping a 3-2 home decision to Plymouth State University in the Little East Conference semifinals Nov. 7, 2019.

Wednesday, Eastern took the lead for good in the deciding set, 10-7, with three straight points. Senior Anna Barry's  (Andover) kill gave the Warriors the lead for good and a pair of attack errors by the Hawks allowed Eastern to take that three-point lead.

Savitsky's first kill of the set made it 13-11 and after the Hawks cut it to one, Savitsky's second kill moved Eastern to within match point. With junior Nayeli Cruz Martinez (Toa Baja, P.R.) serving, fifth-year senior Abby Stern's (Manchester) 13^th kill of the match ended it.
 

Eastern set up the deciding set by staying alive with the five-point victory in the fourth set. After giving up the first point, the Warriors led the rest of the way, taking an eight-point, 17-9 lead, thanks in part to a number of attack errors by the Hawks. After attacking at .375 in the five-point  victory in the third set that moved them to within a victory of capturing the match, the Hawks attacked at just .081 in the fourth set, and .083 in the fifth.

Barry led all players with 19 kills and a .349 attack percentage, with Stern following with 17 kills and fifth-year senior Alaetra Long (Lincoln, NE) adding 13. Outside of Barry, however, the rest of the team attacked at just .171.

Senior setter Meg Verizzi (Lebanon) collected 50 of Eastern's 56 assists, with Long and junior Paula Perez (Caguas, P.R.) combining to successfully handle 64 of 66 reception attempts. Long also had 26 digs, Verizzi 15, Perez 12 and Stern ten.

Senior middle Tori Melanson and senior Allie Welch led RWU with 17 kills each, with Melanson attacking at .368. Senior setter Kate Porter recorded 59 assists for the Hawks and senior libero Kate Grabowski had 23 digs and senior Jaime Gaffga 20.

Eastern faces Farmingdale State College twice Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.