The Sacred Heart Pioneers improved to 4-0 in the Northeast Conference thanks to a 3-0 win over defending league champion Long Island Sunday afternoon.  The Pioneers extended their winning streak to eight straight matches, improving to 14-4 on the year.

As a team, the Pioneers hit .374 (48-14-91) in the win with sophomore Elise Sage (Greenwood Village, CO) and freshman Dianis Mercado (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) each posting double digit kills.  The Pioneers posted a 25-21 win in the first set, dominated set number two, 25-9, and sealed the win, 25-22, in the third. 

Mercado totalled 13 kills and posted a .409 (13-4-22) hitting percentage.  The freshman outside hitter added seven digs and a block to her stat totals.

Sage finished with 10 kills and a .333 hitting percentage (10-3-21) and chipped in with a pair of service aces.  Junior Ashlyn Trimble (Temecula, CA) just missed a double double with nine kills and a game-high 12 digs.  Trimble served up a pair of aces and hit .389  (9-2-18) in the win.

The Pioneers and Robert Morris are tied atop the Northeast Conference standings, both at 4-0 in the early going.  Both teams are scheduled to meet for the first time next weekend.  SHU will play host to Saint Francis (PA) next Saturday, October 9th and the Colonials next Sunday, October 10th.

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