Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Johnson & Wales U. 3, Eastern Conn. 2
(25-20, 16-25, 28-30, 26-24, 15-11)
Eastern Conn. vs. Vassar College
(25-16, 25-17, 25-17)     

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Facing its stiffest test of the young season, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team came through with flying colors Saturday afternoon at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

At noon, Eastern (8-3) took a perennially strong Johnson & Wales University (8-4) team to five before dropping a four-point decision in the deciding set in a match where four of the five sets were decided by five points or less; several hours later, the Warriors re-grouped to hand Vassar College (8-2) only its second loss of the season, vanquishing the Brewers in straight sets in 74 minutes. Vassar was coming off a five-set decision over Johnson & Wales.

Scores against Johnson & Wales were 20-25, 25-16, 30-28, 24-26, 11-15 and 25-16, 25-17, 25-17 against Vassar.
Against Johnson & Wales, where were a remarkable 30 ties and 15 lead changes, including 12 ties and four lead changes in the overtime third set, and seven ties and five lead changes in the deciding 15-point fifth set.

After breaking a 10-10 tie and outscoring the Wildcats 15-6 in the second set to even the match at 1-win apiece, Eastern came out on top in the overtime third set to move to within a win of capturing the match. In that 30-28 win, the Warriors erased a four-point deficit in the late stages, finally pulling even at 24 on a service ace from sophomore Emma Robinson (Westland Village, CA). The Wildcats had the serve twice thereafter with an opportunity for set point, but couldn't produce. Trailing 28-27, Eastern scored the final three points on two kill from Robinson sandwiched around a Wildcat attack error.

Leading 2-1 in sets and with a chance to wrap up the win, the Warriors couldn't put Johnson & Wales away in the two-point overtime loss in the fourth set. Serving, Eastern failed to convert set point in that fourth set despite holding a 24-23 lead, as the Wildcats scored the final four points on a kill, two Eastern attack errors and a service ace.

In eight sets on the afternoon, Robinson led the way with 24 ½ points on 20 kills and four service aces; junior Brooke Praskievicz (Moodus) 23 points on 21 kills and two aces; and first-year player Allegra Copeland (Beaumont, CA) 18 ½ points on 16 kills and five block assists. Copeland attacked at .294 on 34 attempts and Praskievicz .207 on 58 attempts.

Senior Liz Squier (Trevor, WI) collected 44 assists to go along with four service aces, while first-year setter Sonya Nielsen (Waterford, WI) had 16 assists and a team-high five service aces on 18 serves.

In addition to 21 kills, Praskievicz led six players with double-digit digs, with a team-high 24, with Robinson and sophomore Emerson Conigliaro (Raleigh, NC) each totalling 19. Conigliaro, Robinson and Praskievicz combined to handle 120 serve receptions with only five total errors for a .958 success rate.

As a team, Eastern recorded  26 block assists, led by junior Haley Jo Bridges (Montebello, NY), with eight, Praskievicz with six and Copeland with the aforementioned five.

Eastern opens Little East Conference play Friday at Keene State College (4-8, 0-0 LEC) at 6 p.m. at Spaulding Gymnasium. The Warriors have won three of four this year on their opponent's court. Eastern has won five of the last seven against the Owls. A loser of its last three, Keene visits Colby-Sawyer College Tuesday iin a non-conference match before hosting Eastern.