BRISTOL, R.I. – The RWU Volleyball team swept Wheaton College 25-14, 25-10, 25-19 Saturday at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., before falling to the hosts, 18-25, 25-18, 25-27, 24-26. The split moves RWU to 13-3 on the season, while Trinity improves to 9-2 after also sweeping the Lyons, who are now 8-8.

The Hawks rolled to victory in its first match of the day against Wheaton College totaling 32 kills in the three sets. Seniors Brittney Sullivan (Nashua, N.H.) and Rebekah Dion (Old Saybrook, Conn.) both led the Hawks with seven kills in the match, while sophomore Abby Cunningham (Catasauqua, Pa.) tallied six. Classmate Emily Lebowitz (Coventry, Conn.) recorded 16 assists in two sets and freshman Sarah DeVries (Dover Plains, N.Y.) registered 10 in one set.

The second match proved much more competitive with the teams splitting the first two sets by the same score of 25-18. Sullivan and Dion again led RWU with seven kills through the first two sets.

RWU looked to be cruising towards a third-set victory after jumping out to an 8-4 lead and forcing Trinity into a timeout at 15-9. RWU took a timeout of its own with the 19-16 lead and proceeded to sideout and serve back-to-back points for the 22-16 lead before the Bantams began their comeback, scoring 11 of the final 14 points to steal set three, 27-25.

Looking to force a fifth and deciding set, RWU again jumped out to an early 7-4 lead before Trinity tied the game at 11 and forced RWU into a timeout having fallen behind, 14-12. With the score tied again at 17-17, Dion served three-straight points to put the Hawks ahead 20-17. RWU stayed ahead, forcing Trinity into timeouts down 22-20 and 23-22, before the Bantams took the fourth set 26-24.

The Hawks were led by freshman Krystie Luczynski (Kensington, Conn.) who totaled 13 kills with just three errors in the match. Sophomore Kelsey Twarog (Barkhamsted, Conn.) and Dion each finished the match with 12. Lebowitz posted 40 assists, while senior libero Jill Hurd (Sunapee, N.H.) averaged 6.5 digs per set, totaling 26 over the four sets.

RWU returns to The Commonwealth Coast Conference play Wednesday, hosting Endicott College at 7 p.m.