District of Columbia Volleyball Starts Strong, Falters Late in 3-1 Defeat to LIU Post

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia volleyball team earned an impressive, 25-19 first set win, but dropped the next three straight sets (25-9, 25-13, 25-20) in a 3-1 defeat at home against East Coast Conference foe LIU Post on Thursday night.

The Firebirds, who have now lost three of their last four, fell to 7-10 overall and 2-5 in ECC play. LIU Post snapped a two-match losing streak and inched over .500 at 12-11 overall, 3-4 in ECC play.

Freshman Jazmin Rogers (Mechanical Engineering – Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde HS) gave a terrific all-around effort that included team-highs of nine kills, four service aces and 16 digs while also chipping in four blocks. Junior Tara Usko (History – Spring Creek, NV/Spring Creek HS) and senior Vanessa Garley (Marketing – Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho HS) each recorded eight kills as well.

The Pioneers were led offensively by Makamae Namahoe's match-high 11 kills and a match-high five service aces by their libero, Rachel Ringor. Defensively, Ringor led three LIU Post players in double-figures for digs with a match-high 20 while Namahoe and Harlee Meyers adding 17 and 12, respectively.

The first set featured a back-and-forth affair between the two ECC foes, but the Firebirds began to distance themselves with a 4-0 run to break a 13-all tie. An attack error followed by three consecutive kills by three different Firebirds led to a 17-13 District of Columbia lead and forced an LIU Post timeout. Later with a 20-17 advantage, the Firebirds put the set out of reach with a 4-0 run, culminating in a Rogers service ace to make it 24-17. Post rallied to score the next two, but a Pioneers attack error sealed a 25-19 Firebirds win as District of Columbia took a 1-0 match lead.

Again, the second set was a tight affair early on, but LIU Post blew past the Firebirds after a 6-6 tie with a 19-3 bull-rush to claim a dominant, 25-9 victory. The Pioneers out-hit District of Columbia, .556 (10 kills, 0 errors, 18 TA) to -.04 (7 kills, 8 errors, 25 TA) en-route to an easy second set win to even the match, 1-1.

Rogers got the Firebirds started on the right foot in set three with two service aces as part of a 4-0 run to start things off, but a 7-2 LIU Post run forced an 8-8 tie. Leading 11-9, the Firebirds then surrendered 10 straight points to fall behind 19-11. Namahoe earned the kill for set point as LIU Post moved ahead in the match, 2-1 after a 25-13 set three victory.

In set four, it was the Pioneers who got off to a fast start as Ringor served up two aces as part of a 10-3 run to start things off. Trailing 19-12, the Firebirds mounted a spirited comeback that included two kills by Usko and one by Garley and brought District of Columbia within two, 22-20. But the Pioneers would close out the set on a 3-0 run, ending the match on a service ace by Heather Adams for a 25-20 set win.

The Firebirds will look to end their two-match losing streak as they host ECC foe Bridgeport on Saturday, October 13^th at 2 p.m.