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LOWELL, Mass. -- The UMass Lowell volleyball team won its first America East match in program history, defeating Stony Brook University 3-2 (25-20, 17-25, 17-25, 25-23, 16-14) Friday night at Costello Athletic Center.
 
Senior libero Hannah Rey (San Diego, Calif.) tied a career-high with 30 digs in the five set battle.
 
"I am so excited for this group, they fought so hard tonight and even when we were behind in sets and points in certain games, it didn't phase them, they just kept pushing and pushing, said UMass Lowell Head Coach Resa Provanzano. "It's what we have been asking of them, it does give us a lot of confidence, confidence our game plan is going to work and we can accomplish our goals out there."
 
The River Hawks (3-25, 1-10) took control of the first set after scoring two straight points to tie it up at 8-8. Kylee Chun (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Ella Merrill (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) had back-to-back kills to tie the score, and UMass Lowell scored nine of the next 11 points to take a 17-10 lead.
 
An attack error gave the River Hawks the 9-8 lead, and a mix of kills from Merrill and Elima Ahzi (San Diego, Calif.), including a service ace, forced the Seawolves to call a timeout, trailing 13-9.
 
Stony Brook (17-13, 7-5) stopped the bleeding on a error by UMass Lowell at 15-10, but quickly conceded the next two points to trail 17-10. Chun added another kill and capped off the run with a service ace of her own.
 
The Seawolves hung around but could not get closer than four points, and an attack error by Melissa Rigo gave the River Hawks the 1-0 lead.
 
After losing the second and third sets, UMass Lowell found itself in a back and forth battle in the fourth set. With the set tied at 12-12 the River Hawks again went on a run, this time taking a 16-12 lead, in part to three consecutive attack errors by the visitors.
 
The Seawolves stormed back to take a 20-18 lead, and extended it to 22-19. With her team's backs to the wall, Masha Yelsukova (Santa Clara, Calif.) scored two consecutive points to pull the hosts within 22-21. Another kill by Chun tied up the set and after Stony Brook took the 23-22 lead, three straight River Hawk points sent the teams to a fifth and final set.
 
The final set turned into tight battle all the way through, as the biggest lead for either team was only two points. After Stony Brook took the 13-11 lead and UMass Lowell called a timeout, Yelsukova got the River Hawks within 13-12, and two more attack errors by the guests gave UMass Lowell the 14-13 lead. Rigo tied the set at 14-14 and Anisa Smith (Moraga, Calif.) followed right back for the 15-14 lead. Yelsukova finished off the set and match with her 11th kill of the night.
 
Smith followed Rey with 14 digs. Smith also led the team with 14 kills, followed by Yelsukova and Merill (11). Chun helped facilitate the offense with 44 assists.
 
Both teams had six service aces apiece, and Stony Brook had 60 kills to UMass Lowell's 58.
 
The River Hawks return to action tomorrow afternoon against Hartford for Senior Day at Costello Athletic Center (4pm). Kamiren Humphrey (Tucson, Ariz.), Smith, Merrill, and Rey will all be honored in a pre-match ceremony.