Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn.--Despite a balance offense, the Western New England University women's volleyball team couldn't overcome a slow start in a 25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-22 non-conference loss at the hands of host Eastern Connecticut State University on Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

Junior Olivia Lathrop hit .400 on 15 swings as one of four Western New England (13-5 overall) players with seven kills. Seniors Kasey Cameron, Carolyn Hajdusek and freshman Carly Skibinski also had seven put-downs each.

Less than three weeks after attacking at .000 in a three-set loss to WNE at the Trinity College Bantams Invitational, Eastern (8-8) attacked at .264 this time around.
 
Eastern got four kills off the bench from sophomore Hannah Bryant and ripped off a run of eight straight points to squeeze out a 25-22 victory in the final set. The Warriors also blocked very well in the frame, recording four straight points at one point to thwart a WNE attack.
 
Six-foot-one inch middle hitter Kay Mullen led Eastern for the second time against WNE, recording 14 kills and a .385 attack percentage, and sophomore outside hitter Adrianna Mihalek had 12 kills and a .321 attack percentage to go along with three service aces and eight digs as the Warriors ended their own two-match losing streak and halted the Golden Bears' winning streak at five.
 
While Eastern reversed its attack percentage from the earlier loss, the Golden Bears reversed theirs as well, but in the opposite direction. The visitors attacked at .305 in the earlier win but fell to .027 Tuesday night, committing 32 errors - the second-most by an Eastern opponent this year.
 
Eastern trailed throughout most of the fourth set - falling behind 11-4 - before finally pulling ahead, 20-19, on a WNE attack error. With senior setter Allie Henry serving seven straight points, the Warriors ran off eight straight to move out to a 23-19 lead on the fourth of four straight kills from Bryant.
 
In similar fashion to the fourth set, Eastern took the lead for good in the first set, 20-19, on a WNE attack error and closed out the win on kills from freshman middle Caryn Sibiskie and Mullen. In the second set, the Warriors moved out to the early lead, taking the lead for good, 5-4, on a WNE attack error and later putting together five straight points to make it 17-9 on a Mihalek service ace.
 
The Golden Bears fell behind early (5-1) in the third set but avoided the sweep, assuming the lead for good at 7-6. Leading by two, the visitors ran off seven in a row and surged ahead 19-10 on a kill from Hajdusek.

Senior libero Grace Kucharski and Cameron combined for nine service aces for the Golden Bears, with sophomore Jessica Sincero amassing 18 assists and sophomore Jenna Leuck contributing 14. Kucharski led her team with 10 digs.
 
In the match, Henry put up 30 assists and junior libero Allie Luppi shared match honors with 10 digs. After managing only six blocks in the earlier loss to WNE, seven Eastern players combined for 18 blocks in tonight's win. Sibiskie totaled two solos and six assists and Mullen three assists.

Western New England also had a solid lead in the opening frame, but Eastern came back to go up 1-0 in the match.

The Golden Bears on Friday will host Babson College and Westfield State at 4 and 8 p.m., respectively, at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house.

(Editor's note: Eastern Connecticut Athletics contributed to this match recap.)