GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The University of New Haven volleyball team dropped a three-set decision to the second seeded Bridgeport Purple Knights in the opening round of the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship at Adelphi's Center for Recreation and Sport. The Chargers close out the 2015 season with an 18-16 overall record.

Leading New Haven in its season finale was sophomore middle hitter Alex Bussey (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) who finished with seven kills and did not suffer an error in 14 attempts for a team-high .500 hitting average. Joining her in leading the offense was senior Kristen Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) and junior Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich./Eisenhower) who each finished with six kills. As a team, New Haven finished with a .083 attack percentage with 32 kills in 120 attempts.

Defensively, the Chargers were led by freshman libero Brianna Mirmina (Bethany, Conn./Amity Regional) who finished with 15 digs. Freshman setter Kristine Rios (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef) and Lee each added eight. Rios closed out her rookie campaign with 26 assists, while also putting down three kills. As a team, New Haven combined for six blocks with graduate middle blocker Micki Impellizeri (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's) leading the Chargers with four total blocks.

FIRST SET HIGHLIGHTS

·           Facing an early one point deficit, the Chargers rallied for four-straight points to take their first lead of the match at 4-2. A kill from Kristen Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) began the run. Following a Bridgeport hitting error, Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich./Eisenhower) capped off the rally with the first service ace of the match for either team.

·           After the third lead change of the set closed out with an 11-7 lead for Bridgeport, New Haven took four of the next five points to pull within one at 11-12. Three Chargers finished with kills in that run, one each from Alex Bussey (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and Damianis Eusebio (Miramar, Fla./University School) and a pair from Micki Impellizeri (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's).

·           Again facing a four point deficit, the Chargers rallied for three straight to pull within one 16-17. A ball handling error on the Purple Knights opened the rally with Kristine Rios (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef) following with an ace. The first block of the afternoon for New Haven, with Bussey and Eusebio pairing for the putdown, closed out the run.

·           New Haven looked to make another late charge putting up back-to-back points on kills from Bussey and Eusebio.

·           Leading the Chargers in the opening set was Impellizeri who finished with four kills and a .545 hitting percentage. Bussey also hit will, not suffering an error in five attempts and finishing with three kills for a .600 average.

SECOND SET HIGHLIGHTS

·           New Haven erased an early 4-2 deficit by taking its first lead in the second set on a series of three-straight points. Two of those points came on hitting errors by Bridgeport with a kill from Kristen Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) providing the middle point.

·           The Chargers would then extend that lead to its largest of the afternoon, 12-8, with a series of six out of eight points. The first two points in that run came on kills from Lee, while the final three came on kills from Kristine Rios (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef) and Damianis Eusebio (Miramar, Fla./University School) and a block by Eusebio and Impellizeri. That run forced Bridgeport to call its first timeout.

·           After the Purple Knights regained the advantage, New Haven cut its deficit to one late in the set with a series of three-straight points. The first two came on kills, one each from Eusebio and Alex Bussey (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy), while a Eusebio and Bussey blocked capped off the run.

·           Bussey would again finish errorless in the second set, this time joined by Lee. Bussey finished with three kills in six attempts while Lee put down four kills in seven attempts for a set-high .571 hitting average.

THIRD SET HIGHLIGHTS

·           The Chargers opened up the third set with an early surge that led to a 4-0 lead. Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich./Eisenhower) would provide the first point on a kill before a Bridgeport hitting error. The next two points came courtesy of back-to-back aces from Meagan Anderson (Palm Springs, Calif./Palm Springs).

·           Kills from Alex Bussey (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and Micki Impellizeri (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's) would again extend the New Haven lead to three at 5-2 and 6-3, before Bridgeport began to chip away at the lead and take an eventual match victory.

·           In the final set, New Haven was led by Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich./Eisenhower) who finished with three kills.