SPRINGFIELD, Mass. For the first time in the Northeast-10 era, the American International College volleyball team defeated New Haven, dropping the Chargers in four sets Tuesday night at Butova Gymnasium.

With the win AIC improves to 13-9 overall and 7-4 in NE-10 matches, while with the loss New Haven drops to 14-12 and 6-5 in conference play.

After dropping a hard-fought first set, 24-26, the Yellow Jackets kept hopes alive late in the second outlasting New Haven, 27-25. AIC went on to claim the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-20.

Jacket freshman outside hitter Diva Rivas-Reyes (Tucson, Ariz.) tallied a career and AIC season-high 30 kills in the match. Junior outside Natalija Dordevic (Belgrade, Serbia) hit a team-high .326 with 29 kills.

Late in the second set trailing 24-23, sophomore Annie Boele (Clovis, Calif.) knotted it up at 24 all. New Haven responded with a kill by Kristen Lee, but Rivas-Reyes tallied two kills to go along with a Charger error to make it 1-1 for the match.

AIC used the late second set momentum early in the third, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. Dordevic and Rivas-Reyes had two kills, Boele one and a block by Dordevic and junior middle blocker Caitlin Sobolewski (Guilford, Conn.) helped the Jackets jump on New Haven.

A sophomore libero Mercy Rivera (Canovanas, P.R.) ace gave AIC its biggest lead of the set, 20-11 and they cruised in from there to take a 2-1 match lead.

Up five in the fourth, New Haven rallied with four straight points to bring it within one, 18-17, but American International used three Rivas-Reyes kills among others to end the match on a 7-3 run and stop the Chargers.

AIC freshman setter Roxana Wenger (Giph-Oberfrick, Switzerland) tallied 37 kills while only playing three sets. Rivera led all with 38 digs, her highest output of the season.

The Yellow Jackets return to action Friday, Nov.6 at home against Pace. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. from Butova Gymnasium.