SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College women's volleyball team gutted out a 3-1 win over Adelphi University in Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday, September 24.

AIC improved to 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the NE10 with the victory.

A back-and-forth first set saw both sides keep the score close. Andrea Serra Rosa put down a kill to put the Yellow Jackets up 22-21, but the Panthers scored the next three to earn set point. The Yellow Jackets were able to force a hitting error and Naomi Eckert Rivera stepped up to the serving line with her team needing at least one point to keep their hopes alive. The senior delivered in spades, firing three straight aces to stun Adelphi and give AIC the set, 26-24.

The Yellow Jackets carried that momentum into the first two points of the succeeding set, but it was Adelphi that went on a run, securing six straight points to take an 8-5 lead. Their margin grew as wide as four points before AIC began chipping away, taking 10 of the next 15 points to regain control. Adelphi tied the score several more times but never led again in the set, and Paola Soto Burgos finished the second with a kill for a 25-22 win.

The Panthers needed the third, and hung tight with AIC. Though the Yellow Jackets built a 14-12 lead, mistakes piled up and the Panthers capitalized, winning 13 of the last 15 points and allowing AIC no kills at all as they survived and won the set 25-16.

AIC now faced the pressure of trying to avoid a fifth set, and the team held off Adelphi early, building to a 12-8 lead. That edge evaporated quickly as Adelphi scored seven of the next nine, taking a 15-14 lead in the process, only to have Amber Williams come in from the middle to tie the game. That sparked a run of seven of eight points for the hosts, as Adelphi racked up four hitting errors. The Panthers had one more bounce back in them, scoring five straight times to tie the set 22-22. However, Serra Rosa ended the threat with a kill, and AIC ultimately took the set 25-23 and the win 3-1.

Soto Burgos and Serra Rosa led AIC with 12 kills each; Soto Burgos also added 11 digs and a pair of blocks. Eckert Rivera put up 45 assists and a team-best 15 digs and four aces.

The Yellow Jackets break from conference play to host Caldwell University on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m.