The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's volleyball team edged visiting Quinnipiac University, 3-2, Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ. The Knights (13-9 overall) were paced by seniors Lauren Boothby (/Voorhees) (Glen Gardner, NJ) and Karolina Kowalski (/North Arlington) (North Arlington, NJ) in their Northeast Conference opener.
Boothby spiked an afternoon-best 22 kills, coupled with 14 digs, from her middle hitter role. She recorded 10 kills in the first game. Kowalski, a setter, tallied 27 assists and 14 digs.
FDU opened with a 25-13 win, bolstered by a .471 attack percentage. The Bobcats (3-21 overall, 0-1 NEC) countered with a .409 clip in the second set, en route to a 25-8 decision. Head Coach Stacey Recanati's squad took control of the match with a 25-19 victory, but Quinnipiac knotted the contest with a 25-22 win. The Knights ultimately prevailed in the clincher, 15-12, surviving a .385 hitting percentage by QU.
Senior outside hitter Megan Philbrick (/Elizabeth Seton) (Seabrook, MD) ripped 13 kills, with junior right side Ali Philbrick (/Elizabeth Seton) (Lanham, MD) and sophomore middle blocker Sarah Berkland (Newton, MA/Newton North) (Newton, MA) adding six kills a piece. Ali Philbrick (/Elizabeth Seton) chipped-in 11 digs, with Berkland accruing two block solos and four block assists.
Freshman setter Sarah Willey (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) (Abingdon, MD) posted 12 assists and nine digs, while classmate Kelsey Semler (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) (Allentown, PA), a libero, went for 10 digs and a pair of service aces. Sophomore outside hitter Erin Roudebush (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) (Westfield, NJ) registered four kills and six digs.
Quinnipiac was led by freshman outside hitter Kelby Carey's (Surfside Colony, CA) double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs, with four aces. Freshman setter Kayla Lawler (Richmond, IN) notched a match-high 33 assists, flanked by 11 digs.
Three Bobcats posted eight kills. Freshmen outside hitters Stephanie Biediger (Houston, TX) and Crista Valentino (Oakdale, NY) collected 14 digs each.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Brooklyn, NY at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 to take on defending champions Long Island University.
