Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Sacred Heart at Stratis Arena on Sunday as the Knights fell to 8-18 (4-9 NEC) and the Pioneers improved to 9-18 (7-6 NEC).
 
Sacred Heart was able to avenge a 3-1 loss to the Knights from earlier in the season as FDU was held to 22 kills on the day, their second lowest total of the season. The Pioneers picked up set wins by scores of 25-16, 25-21, 25-20.
 
In the first set, the Knights matched the Pioneers point-for-point as the score was deadlocked at 7-7. A 7-2 run helped SHU take a 14-9 lead, however. The lead grew to six points at 21-15 on kills from Karly Shockey and Allison Riggs. After a Pioneer attack error, SHU reeled off the final four points of the set for a 25-16 win.
 
The Knights looked like they would get back in the match in the second set when they were able to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 14-5 lead thanks to a 10-0 run. Over that stretch, senior Meaghan Wheeler (Chatsworth, CA/Chaminade College Prep) racked up four of her eight kills on the match, while freshman Maddie Gibbons (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview Heights) also had one of her four kills.
 
A few points later, it was the Pioneers' turn to make a long run with 11 points in a row to take a 19-16 lead. Three points in row for FDU on two kills from freshman Jordon Collis (Frisco, TX/Frisco) and a Sacred Heart attack error evened the score at 19-19. Collis recorded eight kills on the day.
 
With six of the next eight points, SHU locked up the set at 25-21 to take a 2-0 edge heading into the third.
 
After another Collis kill tied the third set at 15-15, one kill and four FDU errors gave SHU at 20-15 advantage. Down the stretch, SHU maintained its lead for a 25-20 set win.
 
The Pioneers were led on offense by 15 kills from Dianis Mercado to go with 13 from Elise Sage. Alisa Mesa dished out 36 assists and Sara Fernandez had a match-high 15 digs.
 
Defensively for the Knights, sophomore Deborah Hong (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) recorded a team-best 10 digs, while redshirt junior Violeta Slabakova (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica) had a season-high six block assists.
 
Following the weekend of action, Wheeler has 460 kills on the season, which is third most in single-season history. Freshman Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano) is also moving up in the record books. With 860 assists, Butler is sixth all time in single season FDU history with four matches to play.
 
Next weekend, the Knights will head to Pennsylvania to face Saint Francis PA in Loretto, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. The next day, FDU will face Robert Morris in Moon Township, Pa. at 1 p.m.