ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan women's volleyball team picked up its first East Coast Conference win of the season with a 3-1 upset victory over NYIT on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Redhawks improve to 2-10 overall and 1-2 in the ECC while the Bears are now 8-8 and 0-3 in the conference.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Grace Detwiler had a game-high in kills for this season with 14 total while scoring 15.5 points in the match, also a game-high.
 
The Redhawks got off to a slow start in the match falling behind 10-1 in the opening set and eventually dropping the set 25-18, but Roberts would rally from then on winning the next three sets to win the match.
 
In the second set NYIT took an 8-4 lead but Roberts used a 6-1 run later on to tie the game up at 12-12. Each team strung together consecutive point runs and the Bears got to set point with a three point advantage. But two set errors by NYIT and a kill by Detwiler kept the Redhawks' hope alive. At 25-24 NYIT, the Redhawks gained the final three points off two NYIT errors and a kill by Emily Rowlison to win the set and tie the match up 1-1.
 
The third set was nearly point-for-point but the Redhawks took advantage following a timeout to score four points taking a five point lead at 24-19. Rowlison and Detwiler added timely kills while Kristina Button added an ace. Junior Anastasia Smith who returned from an ankle injury earlier in the match provided the final kill to give Roberts a 2-1 lead.
 
NYIT jumped out again to a quick lead in the fourth set scoring seven straight points to take a 7-1 lead. Roberts fought back to tie the match up 11-11 and the Redhawks never relinquished the lead from there answering any run NYIT attempted to make.
 
The win against the Bears marks the first time the Redhawks have beaten NYIT since 2014.
 
Freshman setter Lauren Taeko Chase had a career high 28 assists on the afternoon and two aces. Shelby Strausbaugh posted 18 digs to lead the defense.
 
Roberts will travel downstate to take on Queens College and Molloy College next weekend. The Queens match is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Molloy match is set for Sunday at noon.