NEW BRITAIN — The Central Connecticut volleyball team pushed for a fifth set before falling to Manhattan on Tuesday night.

Olivia Keckler led CCSU with a match-high 19 kills to go with 11 digs, while Aubrey Stitcher had 16 kills.

The Blue Devils took an 8-5 lead in the opening set following a run of five straight points, capped off by a block by Cullen Winter and Anja Milosevic. The Jaspers responded by outscoring CCSU, 8-1, to take a 13-9 lead. CCSU would remain undaunted and would score five in a row to go ahead 17-16 following an ace by Breanna Ginley. Manhattan would take control of the set late with a 5-1 run to set up match point and won the set 25-23.

The second set went back and forth until a kill by Ginley gave CCSU a 13-11 lead. The Jaspers would hold a 20-18 lead before a kill by Hanley Schmidt and an ace by Meg Berkland tied the frame. CCSU would eventually edge ahead, 22-21, after a kill by Keckler. The Blue Devils had to fight off three set points before kills by Ginley and Stitcher helped win the frame, 28-26, and level the match.

In the third set, CCSU took an early 4-1 advantage after an ace by Gabriella Burdier, but Manhattan would stay engaged and took a 15-13 lead midway through the set. CCSI held a 20-18 lead, but following a timeout, the Jaspers closed the set with seven unanswered points.

Central led throughout the fourth set after jumping out to a 5-2 lead following a kill by Stitcher. After Manhattan got within 10-7, CCSU would outscore the visitors 7-1 and built a nine-point margin. A kill by Keckler would cap the set and send the match to a deciding frame.

The Blue Devils scored four points to open the fifth set and led 4-0 after an ace by Ginley. Central continued to maintain an 11-6 lead after a block by Ginley before the Jaspers came back with four straight to cut the margin to one point. A kill by Stitcher would set up match point for CCSU at 14-12 before the Jaspers took advantage of an error to extend the set and went on to score three more points in a row to win the match.

NOTES: Keckler posted her fourth double-double of the season…Keckler added three blocks and two service aces…Stitcher posted a career-high in kills, while hitting .343…Ginley had nine kills, eight blocks and five aces. She hit .474…Milosevic posted her second match of the season with 50-plus assists. She finished with 55 and seven digs…Berkland had a team-high 13 digs…Since 2003, Manhattan leads the series, 5-4.

The Blue Devils travel to the Fairfield Invitational and will play the hosts on Thursday night at 6 p.m.

BROOKLINE, Mass. — The Central Connecticut men’s soccer team mounted a furious second-half rally, but could not erase the deficit, falling 2-1 to host Northeastern Tuesday evening.

The Huskies put the ball in the back of the net nine minutes into the contest, when Will Schmidy fed Kortay Koc for his sixth tally of the season

That was the score in the 37th minute when Anthony Rapo netted the first goal of the year, from Tate Duax and Shai Saarony to give the host a 2-0 advantage

The Blue Devils answered within seconds, when Santiago Marin assisted Diego Canellas on his first tally of the year.

NOTES: The Blue Devils took the first eight shots of the second-half and had a 12-4 advantage in the period, and after being outshot 12-5 in the opening period, finished with a 17-6 shot advantage…Grady Wilson recorded eight saves in net for the Blue Devils, a season-high..CCSU accounted for all five of its corner kicks in the second-half, while the Huskies had two in the opening period…Marin recorded his second assist of the season and leads the team with 10 points for the year…Brady Elmblad earned the win for Northeastern in goal, recording eight saves…Northeastern was called offside on three occasions, with none whistled on the Blue Devils…Canellas’ goal is the second of his collegiate career

Central closes out non-conference play on Sunday, when it hosts UAlbany at 2 p.m.