BROOKLYN, NY – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team showed its championship medal on Friday as it gutted out a pair of five-set victories at LIU. The Pioneers rallied to win the opener 3-2 (25-18, 25-27, 20-25, 32-30, 15-9) then hung on after winning the first two sets for the 3-2 (25-14, 25-22, 27-25, 16-25, 15-12) triumph in the nightcap.

Records:
LIU: 4-2, 4-2 NEC
Sacred Heart: 7-3, 6-0 NEC

Top Performers:
Olivia Fairchild (SHU): 17 kills, 4 aces (GM1); 15 kills (GM2)
Sarah Ciszek (SHU): 15 kills, 51 assists, 21 digs (GM1); 38 assists, 18 digs, 10 kills (GM2)
Dominique Felix (SHU): 10 kills, 18 digs (GM1), 11 kills, 11 digs (GM2)
Emma Smallcomb (SHU) 25 digs (GM1), 31 digs (GM2)

Up Next:
SHU's match with St. Francis Brooklyn on Wednesday has been postponed. The Pioneers' next match is scheduled for Friday at Fairleigh Dickinson.

Of Note:
During the opening match, a fifth set look inevitable as the Pioneers built a 19-13 lead in the fourth set on a Dominique Felix block. LIU went on a 9-3 run to tie the match at 22-22. 

SHU staved off four match points then took a 30-29 advantage on Jasmine Rogers' kill. Winners from Kate Anderson and Reghan Palanchi finished off the set. Three LIU errors in the fifth set allowed the Pioneers to establish a lead it would not relinquish.

After the Pioneers rolled to the first set of the second match, the Sharks pulled within 23-22 of the second set but Anderson and Palanchi came through again with kills to take the frame.

Sacred Heart had two match points in the third set but couldn't close then LIU took the fourth. LIU had an 11-10 lead in the fifth, but Rogers and Olivia Fairchild produced two kills each to get SHU the sweep.

Setter Sarah Ciszek recorded a triple-double in both matches. In the opener, she produced season highs of 51 assists and 15 kills to go along with 21 digs. During game two she notched 38 assists, 10 kills and 18 digs.

SHU had five players with double-digit kills in game one, topped by Fairchild with 16. She nearly had a triple-double of her own with 16 digs and eight blocks. She produced 15 kills in game two.

Rogers had 14 kills and 31 digs then added 21 digs in the nightcap.

Felix had a pair of double-doubles, starting with 16 kills and 16 digs in the opener. The second contest saw her recorded 11 kills and 11 digs.

Libero Emma Smallcomb notched a career-high 31 digs in the first game after 25 in the opener.