Box Score
After jumping out to an early 2-0 lead through two sets, then dropping the next two, the Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team won the decisive fifth set for a dramatic 3-2 win over La Salle in a non-conference match on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, PA.
The Knights' fourth win in a row helps them improve to 5-2 on the 2011 campaign, while the Explorers fall to 1-7.
Senior captain Kelsey Semler (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic), who recorded a match-high 20 digs, moved into a first place tie in school history with 1,667 career digs. Semler entered the match in third place on the list at 1,647 career digs, and is now tied with Sharon Becker in the top spot.
The win did not come easy for the Knights, however. In the first set, the Explorers had a 15-12 lead before FDU came away with 13 of the game's next 18 points to take a 1-0 lead on a 25-20 set one win.
With the score tied at 19-19 in set number two, the Knights went on a mini-run by taking six of the set's last seven points to claim another 25-20 win and take a 2-0 advantage.
The Knights' attack dipped in the next two sets as they committed 15 errors with 21 kills for a .081 hitting percentage. The Explorers, who had four players with 10 or more kills on the night, won set three by a 25-22 score and set four, 25-16. FDU's frontline was able to regain its touch in time to record a .310 hitting percentage in the fifth set with 12 kills and three errors for a 15-11 set win.
Meaghan Wheeler (Chatsworth, CA/Chaminade College Prep), the reigning Molton/NEC Co-Player of the Week, turned in another stellar showing with 28 kills, 15 digs and four block assists. It was Wheeler's fourth double-double on the year. Chelsea Braga (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach )'s 18 kills were also more than any Explorer in the match.
Sarah Willey (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air)'s 42 assists set up her teammates on the night, and Deborah Hong (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) set a new career-high with 13 digs. Around the net, Sarah Berkland (Newton, MA/Newton North) had a match-best five block assists and led the Knights with a .294 hitting percentage.
Next up, the Knights will participate in the Maddie Bingaman Memorial Tournament in Baltimore, MD with a match scheduled against Norfolk State on Friday, followed by tilts with Youngstown State and UMBC on Saturday.
