Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WEST HARTFORD – Nearly a year ago to the day, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team attacked in negative numbers and had an 11-match winning streak snapped against Mount Holyoke College at the University of Saint Joseph's Calhoun Gymnasium.

Led by three players who combined for 39 kills and a .304 attack percentage, the Warriors (3-0) embarked upon a new winning streak against Mount Holyoke (1-1) with a four-set victory Saturday afternoon at the same Calhoun Gymnasium in a match where all 16 roster players saw time. Scores were 32-30, 22-25, 25-18, 25-15.

With the match tied at one set apiece, Eastern erased an early four-point deficit by scoring five straight points (two aces) behind the serving of senior setter Liz Squier (Trevor, WI) to take an 11-9 lead and later scored five more in a row to take command, 18-13.

The Warriors set the early tone by surviving the extended back-and-forth first set which featured a remarkable 22 ties. After Eastern led twice early by two points, neither team managed to equal Eastern's early two-point lead until the final score. The Lyons failed to secure the first-set win despite having five set-point chances. The Warriors failed on their first two opportunities to post the win before finally putting it away.

In that first set, Bridges' kill from Squier denied Mount Holyoke its final chance at set point and tied the set at 30-all. Squier then served the go-ahead and winning points thanks to block assists from Bridges and first-year outside Allegra Copeland (Beaumont, CA) that made it 31-30 and a decisive MHC attack error that gave Eastern the victory.

 Eastern nailed down the win with its ten-point victory in the fourth set. In that set, junior middle Haley Jo Bridges (Montebello, NY) and sophomore outside Emma Robinson (Westlake Village, CA) combined for nine kills on15 attempts with only one error.

In last year's loss to Mount Holyoke, Eastern attacked at just -.007. Saturday, Robinson, junior outside Brooke Praskievicz (Moodus) and Bridges each collected double-digit kills, combining for 39 of the team's match total 50 with a .304 attack percentage. Robinson, who managed only seven kills (her second-lowest match total last year) in last year's loss to the Lyons, led Eastern with 17 kills (two shy of her career-high) Saturday, Praskievicz adding 12 and Bridges ten with a .421 attack percentage. Junior middle Maggie Barr (Easthampton, MA) added five kills without an error on nine attempts.

In the match, Praskievicz had 14 digs to go along with her kill total, with sophomore libero Emerson Conigliaro (Wake Forest, NC) digging up 12 balls and Squier recording 30 set assists and four service aces.

Later Saturday, the Warriors swept Saint Joseph (0-3) for the second time in 24 hours with a 25-12, 25-8, 25-19 victory, improving their all-time record against the Blue Jays to 25-2 with their 23^rd straight win and 22^nd shutout in the series.

Against Saint Joseph Saturday, Bridges attacked at .667 with a match-high ten kills and no errors on 15 attempts and added five of the team's 14 blocks. Squier had 11 assists, first-year Division II junior transfer libero Sarah Eldredge (South Windsor) a team-high 12 digs and Praskievicz ten.

Eastern opens its home season Friday by hosting Trinity College at 6 p.m.

EASTERN'S OPENING WEEKEND BY THE NUMBERS
(3-0 RECORD / 9-1 RECORD IN SETS

POINTS: Bridges (35), Robinson (30.5), Praskievicz (23.5), Nemecek (15)
KILLS: Robinson (30), Bridges (27), Praskievicz (20), Nemecek (12)
ATTACK PCT.: Bridges (.458), Barr (.400), Soleau (.353) Robinson (.286), Praskievicz (.263)
ASSISTS: Squier (60), Davis (15), Nielsen (11)
SERVICE ACES: Squier (9), Nielsen (4)
SERVE PCT.: Praskievicz (.923), Robinson (.917)
RECEPTION PCT.: Eldredge (.962), Praskievicz (.951), Conigliaro (.935)
DIGS: Praskievicz (33), Conigliaro (22), Eldredge (19), Robinson (15)
BLOCKS: Bridges (10), Nemecek (5), Player (4)