The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's volleyball team defeated Rider University, 3-0, in the squad's 2006 home debut, Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ. Junior middle blocker Rebecca Tenney (/Tabb) (Yorktown, VA/Tabb) led the Knights (7-2) with a .423 attack percentage, including 13 kills.
FDU out-lasted the Broncs, 32-30, in game one, then set the tempo with a 30-23 victory in the following game, as sophomore outside hitter Megan Philbrick (/Elizabeth Seton) (Seabrook, MD/Elizabeth Seton) spiked home one of her four kills on the night to clinch the early advantage.
Junior outside hitter Elena Schmidt (/Nevada Union) (Nevada City, CA/Nevada Union) recorded her fifth-straight double-double in as many games, with 11 kills and 16 digs. Junior setter Ruth Levy (/Cary) (Cary, NC/Cary) tallied her second-straight double-double with 20 assists and 15 digs.
Junior libero Lauren Lombardo (/Laurel)'s (New Castle, PA/Laurel) 17 digs and sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Brugger (/Centreville)'s (Clifton, VA/Centreville) 13 digs also stabilized the Knights defensively.
In the final game, FDU took a 20-10 lead before sophomore middle blocker Lauren Boothby (/Voorhees) (Glen Gardner, NJ/Voorhees) ? who contributed a game-high 14 kills ? collected the match-deciding point, en route to a 30-21 Knights' victory.
Sophomore setter Karolina Kowalski (/North Arlington) (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) added 15 assists.
“It was great to finally play on our home court and even better to get the win,” Head Coach Stacey Recanati said. “It's nice to see the fans come out.”
Rider (2-7) outside hitters Katrina Stehle (Greensburg, PA/Hempfield) and Lacey Johnson (Aurora, CA/Grandview) both notched double-digit kills with 11 and 10, respectively. Johnson also chipped-in 17 digs, while setter JoAnna Winter (Hamburg, MN/Mayer Lutheran) posted 19 assists.
The Knights travel to Philadelphia, PA for the University of Pennsylvania Tournament Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24. Fairleigh Dickinson faces Northeast Conference opponent Quinnipiac at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a 10:00 a.m. match versus Binghamton, Sunday, before ending the tourney against the host Quakers at 5:30 p.m.
