Volleyball defeats Rider before bowing to Fordham

(vs. Rider) / (vs. Fordham)

9/4/04 -- Sophomore Dana Demayo (Ra'anana, Israel) closed the day with 37 digs, including a career-high 24 in the final match, as Long Island split two encounters at the SHU Tournament in Fairfield, Conn.

LIU bested Rider 3-0 (30-22, 30-19, 30-19) before a 3-1 setback (24-30, 20-30, 30-16, 28-30) to Fordham. This marks the second straight season the Blackbirds have started 4-1, their best such mark in school history.

Demayo tallied 13 digs against Rider (2-1) with eight kills and three aces. Junior Melanie Fleig (Villingen, Germany) continued her strong play with nine kills, four digs and 3 1/2 blocks. Senior Cristina Pintilie (Cluj Napoca, Romania) added eight kills and no errors over 17 attacks.

Fordham ended LIU's unbeaten run despite Demayo topping her digs mark of 23 set last season against Hofstra and Fairleigh Dickinson. She also contributed 15 kills, making the all-tournament team by closing with 40 kills and 58 digs.

Pintilie totaled 18 kills and 18 digs, Lizelle Jackson (Palmdale, Calif.) contributed 15 and 18 with Melanie Fleig adding 11 kills for the Blackbirds.

Senior setter Ivana Vasiljevic (Brcko, Bosnia & Herzegovina) closed with 52 assists and 18 digs for her 50th career match with at least a double-double.

LIU will be action this weekend at the Connecticut Invitational in Storrs, Conn.