BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Coming off their sweep of cross town rivals Southern Connecticut State, the University of New Haven traveled down I-95 to take on the Purple Knights of the University of Bridgeport in their second rivalry match in a row.

After the Purple Knights opened up the match with the first six points of the match, New Haven settled into the match as Peyton Mast (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) and Kylie Reynolds-Martin (/) each had a kill and the blue and gold cut the lead in half. New Haven continued to battle, chipping away at Bridgeport's lead, cutting it to one following a 4-0 run that saw Reynolds-Martin and Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) each with a kill and Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) picking up a pair of aces. With the Chargers within one, the Purple Knights responded holding a slim lead over New Haven as the Chargers continued to battle and keep things close. Bridgeport was the first to 24, but Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) closed it to one and Rilee Jessee (Edinburgh, Ind,/Columbus East) tied that match at 24 forcing the opening set to continue. After both teams traded the next two points, the Purple Knights were able to take the final two points taking the first set 27-25. After trailing early in the first set, New Haven never let Bridgeport pull away early in the second set as both teams traded points with each other trading leads and ties all through the set. Mast tied the set at 22 all, but the Purple Knights took the final three in the set taking it 25-22 and going up 2-0 in the match. With a five minute break between sets, the Chargers used all five minutes and regrouped, looking to extend the match and bounce back in the third. Mast opened up the set for New Haven with a kill and brought a surge to the Chargers bench. The third set was New Haven's scoring often and in bunches as quickly they found themselves up nine and looking to build momentum to close the set and carry over through the rest of the match. A service error and pair of attack errors by Bridgeport saw the blue and gold take their first set of the match winning 25-15 and make it a 2-1 match. With momentum New Haven jumped out to an early lead as Rilee Jessee (Edinburgh, Ind,/Columbus East) added an ace in the opening scoring surge. That strong start carried New Haven as they never trailed in the fourth set and a dominant 6-0 run with a Mast ace and kills by Brown, Juergens, and Reynolds-Martin put the set out of reach of the Purple Knights, with Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./Fife High School) closing the fourth with her kill tying the match at 2-2 after the 25-17 fourth set win. With the gym filling and the intensity of the rivalry rising, the fifth set opened up and New Haven, having won the last two sets, looked to make it three straight. Bridgeport tried to bounce back after taking the opening two sets. The Chargers opened up the scoring first as Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) picked up her 19 kill of the match. The Chargers found an early lead in the fifth but Bridgeport responded late tying the match at eight. Both teams would go on their own little runs forcing the other to respond and tie the match. Bridgeport went up 15-14 but a Brown kill and attack error by the Purple Knights saw New Haven leading again. 15 was not enough and as both teams prepared for their respective conference championships and regional tournament to follow the environment was set as if it was a postseason match. Going into extras in the fifth neither team was giving in as the big hitters were leaving it all out on the floor. Johnson's kill tied the match back at 19 but Bridgeport was able to claim the final two points and take the fifth set 21-19 and the match 3-2 over New Haven. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) led the Chargers with 24 kills and 14 digs, Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Academia Maria Reina) totaled 54 assists as Grace Juergens (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) had a double-double with 24 digs and 13 kills.

The Chargers now return home for their final two matches of the year with a pair of conference matches ahead of the NE10 Conference Championships. New Haven hosts the Hawks of Saint Anselm College on Friday night ahead of their Senior Day match, Saturday against the Purple Knights of Saint Michaels. The Chargers and Hawks tip off on Friday November 10 at 7:00 p.m. from Charger Gymnasium on the Charger Sport Network and NE10 Now. All updates, schedules, and post-game recaps for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.