Box Score BROOKLYN, N.Y. --- The last weekend of October for the LIU Brooklyn volleyball team begin with an impressive 3-1 victory over the Northeast Conference-leading Central Connecticut Blue Devils Friday evening at the Steinberg Wellness Center.

A fourth straight double-double from junior Viktoria Fink (19 kills, 15 digs) and the fourth in five matches for junior Nina Petranovic (10 kills, 14 digs) powered the Blackbirds against one of the two teams ahead of them in the NEC standings. Sophomore and Reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Week Natalia Rivera made a team-high 28 digs while freshman Piper Matsumoto posted her second-highest assist total of the season with 32.

LIU got off to a quick start in the first set, taking a 4-1 lead on three kills and a service ace. The Blackbirds forced CCSU into a timeout after building a 10-5 lead on an emphatic block from sophomore Katharina Krepper. LIU's lead extended to eight on two occasions - after a Petranovic kill made the score 15-7 and on a kill by sophomore Filippa Hansson that moved the score to 19-11. A 6-0 surge pulled the Blue Devils to within two of the Blackbirds (19-17) but the host ended the set by scoring six of the final nine points

CCSU scored three of the first four points to open the second set but LIU responded with four of the next six to square the match at 5-5. The Blue Devils forced the Blackbirds to take a timeout after pushing the score up to 9-6 on an assisted block and stretched their edge to eight points with a 7-2 run out of the break (16-8). LIU continued to fight back, getting as close as three points five times as they worked to regain the lead but the Blue Devils proved to be too much.

In the third, CCSU scored the first two points of the set but a 7-1 run by the Blackbirds forced the Blue Devils to burn a timeout and regroup (8-3). By the time CCSU used their final timeout of the set, LIU had increased its lead to a set-high six points (12-6). CCSU chipped away at LIU's lead and eventually moved within one (16-15) but the Blackbirds outscored the Blue Devils 9-4 down the stretch to move a set away from the win.

Central Connecticut continued to test LIU in the fourth, scoring five straight points and seven of the next eight after the Blackbirds opened the set with a Fink kill. An LIU timeout helped stem the tide as the Blackbirds cut their deficit to two points four times, the last coming on an Emily Magee ace that made the score 14-12 and drew a CCSU timeout. The Blue Devils stormed out of the timeout with a 6-0 run to go ahead 18-12. LIU refused to give up and took a 21-20 lead thanks to a 9-2 spurt. Central Connecticut briefly regained the advantage and led 23-21 but the Blackbirds' momentum was too much for the visitors in the end.