The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team suffered a difficult home loss Saturday afternoon to Central Connecticut State, 3-2, in a Northeast Conference match-up at Stratis Arena in Hackensack. CCSU took the first two games by scores of 25-21 and 25-12. However, the Knights dug deep and found some life as they won game three, 25-21, before dominating game four, 25-14. In game five, the visitors were finally able to tame the Knights and took the game by a score of 15-7. With the victory, the Blue Devils improve to 9-16 (6-7 NEC) on the season, while the Knights fall to 9-19 (4-8 NEC). FDU has now lost six straight matches.
Sophomore Meaghan Wheeler (Chatsworth, CA/Chaminade College Prep) (Chatsworth, CA/Chaminade College Prep) and senior Sarah Berkland (Newton, MA/Newton North) (Newton, MA/Newton North) paced the Knights offense. Wheeler smashed 22 kills, while Berkland established a new career high with 20. Junior setter Sarah Willey (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) dished out a career-best 58 assists.
Defensively, four Knights recorded double-figures in digs. Wheeler led the way with 16 to give her 14 double-doubles on the season. Freshman Taylor Roland-Buohl (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) tied a career high with 14 digs, while junior Kelsey Semler (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) and senior Amanda Alayon (West Haverstraw, NY/North Rockland) (West Haverstraw, NY/North Rockland) added 12 and 10, respectively. Willey tied a season high with three block assists, and sophomore Violeta Slabakova (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica) (Shelby Township, MI/Utica) also had three.
The Knights will conclude the home schedule on Sunday against Bryant at 3:00 p.m. in Stratis Arena in Hackensack. Seniors Alayon, Berkland and Erin Roudebush (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) will all be honored before the game with a ceremony.
