NEW YORK, N.Y. --- Three LIU Brooklyn volleyball players recorded double-doubles to propel the Blackbirds to a 3-1 victory (25-27, 27-25, 25-21, 25-14) over the Fordham Rams Saturday evening as part of the Big Apple Battle.
Redshirt sophomore Julia Azevedo led all players with 15 kills and added ten digs while junior Nina Petranovic matched her dig total and chipped in 12 kills. Sophomore Amanda Hubbard converted 38 of LIU's 49 assists and had 11 digs as well. Sophomore Natalia Rivera continued her stellar play with a match-best 21 digs.
Overall, LIU moved back to .500 on the year by improving its season-record in four-set matches to 3-1. The victory also marked the first time all season that the Blackbirds won a four or five set match after losing the first set.
LIU nearly took that first set despite facing a deficit for the majority of it. After freshman Masa Zirojevic scored a kill on the match's first rally, Fordham scored the next three points and held LIU at bay until the Blackbirds rattled off four consecutive points to take a 24-23 lead. The teams exchanged the next three points, tying the set at 25-25 before the Rams scored the final two points.
The close call was a signal that momentum was going to shift the Blackbirds' way despite the 0-1 hole it found itself in. Excluding ties, LIU only trailed for nine points during the second set. When it came to crunch time, LIU again strung together points late, with Petranovic scoring three straight (two kills, one service ace) to push LIU ahead, 24-23. Once the set was tied at 25-25, sophomore Filippa Hansson registered an assisted block and a kill to knot the match.
LIU kept a bit more distance in the third and fourth sets. Fordham took its largest lead early with a 7-4 advantage before an 8-3 run gave the Blackbirds a 12-10 lead. The Rams briefly went back ahead 17-16 but LIU would tie the set three more times before using a 5-1 run to close things out. In the fourth, LIU was at its most effective and dominant. The Blackbirds quickly jumped out to a 6-2 lead and extended it to 10-5 on another Petranovic kill. LIU's lead grew to seven (18-11) on a Fordham attack error that forced the Rams to take a time out. Another attack error by the hosts gave the set and the match to the Blackbirds.
Hansson's attack percentage (.480, 13-1-25) and Hubbard's assist tally set new season highs for the team.
NEXT UP
LIU will complete its non-conference schedule and its time in the Big Apple Battle on Sunday, September 17 with a 4 p.m. home match against Columbia.