Volleyball rolls to 3-0 triumph over Manhattan

(boxscore)

10/12/04 -- Senior Cristina Pintilie (Cluj Napoca, Romania) pounded 13 kills over 19 errorless attacks for Long Island, which made it nine victories over its last 10 outings with a 3-0 win (30-19, 30-22, 30-21) over Manhattan at Schwartz Center.

Pintilie continued her strong play at the net with a .684 hitting percentage, seven digs, a block solo and a block assist. She helped the Blackbirds (18-5) own a decisive 54-26 kills edge along with a .364 hitting percentage.

Senior Ivana Vasiljevic (Brcko, Bosnia & Herzegovina), the reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Week, closed with 42 assists and 14 digs for her 62nd career match with at least a double-double. Sophomore Dana Demayo (Ra’anana, Israel) posted 10 kills and 14 digs with junior Melanie Fleig (Villingen, Germany) adding 10 and eight.

The Blackbirds left no doubt by closing the match with a .433 hitting percentage in game three, thanks to 18 kills and only five errors. The Jaspers (4-16) were held to nine kills and a .147 percentage in that game.

Lori Bambauer dished 18 assists, Maggie Pfeifer had nine kills and Megan O’Dorisio contributed nine digs for Manhattan.

It was the Blackbirds first home match in almost six weeks after posting a 15-5 mark on their longest road trip in the program’s 12-year history.

LIU returns home Thursday to host Villanova, beginning at 7:00 pm.