DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 18, 2014) - Sophomore middle hitter Melissa Hansen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and freshman middle blocker Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) slammed down 10 kills each Thursday night to lead the LIU Post volleyball team past Mercy, 3-0, at Mercy Gymnasium in Dobbs Ferry.

In addition to her 10 kills, Valenza also recorded nine digs. Freshman middle blocker Heather Ball (Gilbert, Ariz.) amassed seven kills and two blocks. Senior setter Lulu Centro (Rome, Italy) dished out 18 assists. Junior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii) collected a match-best 11 digs and five service aces.

Tied 10-10 in the first set, the Pioneers (5-5, 1-1 ECC) tallied five of the next six points to grab a four-point lead. Valenza started the spurt with a kill, while Ringor served back-to-back aces to close it out. LIU Post would eventually widen its advantage to as many as seven points (21-14), and cruised to a 25-21 victory.

The green and gold put together another big run in the second stanza to take a 2-0 match lead. Holding a slight 9-8 cushion, the visitors rolled off a 7-2 burst to make it a 16-10 game. Valenza notched two kills in the streak. Sophomore middle hitter Analise Austin (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Ball provided one kill apiece. A kill by Centro soon secured a 25-17 triumph in the set.

During the third set, the Pioneers scored six unanswered points to get things going, and clinched the sweep of the Mavericks (2-6, 0-1 ECC) with a 25-15 rout. In that opening stretch, Valenza and Hansen both had a kill, and teamed up for a block. As a squad, LIU Post hit at an impressive .476 clip in the game, behind a five-kill showing from Hansen, who registered a block in the set as well.

Head Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the Pioneers return to action Saturday (Sept. 20), when they host Queens and Stonehill at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y. The matches are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. starts, respectively.