Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J.  --  The Fairleigh Dickinson's women's volleyball team fell to Quinnipiac in a tough fought five-set match, with set scores of 21-25, 25-21, 16-25, 25-23 and 15-11. With the win, the Bobcats improve to 2-11 on the season, while the Knights fall to 2-11 overall.

The first set started with both teams exchanging the first five points, but a kill by freshman Alex Lolland (Auburn, Calif./Del Oro) propeled FDU, sending the Knights on a five-point run to bring the set score to 7-3.The Knights would then take a commanding 19-9 lead, with kills by sophomore Caroline Laton (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), senior Hanifa Addi (Springdale, Md./Charles H. Flowers) and freshman Taylor Wyckoff (San Diego, Calif./Clairemont), giving FDU its biggest lead of the set. Quinnipiac would answer by taking four of the next five points to trim the deficit to 20-15. After a timeout by the Knights, the momentum would switch back to FDU, with a kill from freshman Carly O'Sullivan (Bogota, N.J./Bogota) and a kill and service ace by Laton to increase the score to 24-15. The Bobcats would try to claw their way back into the match by taking the next six points with two attack errors from the Knights, but it wouldn't be enough as an attack error from Quinnipiac would close the set at 25-21 in favor of FDU.

Quinnipiac would jump out to an early 3-1 lead in the second set, but a kill by Wyckoff would change the momentum, sending FDU on a 5-1 run to take the lead at 6-4. The teams would knot the score at 6, 7 and 8 points, before the Bobcats started a 7-3 run to give them a 15-11 lead. The Knights would then regain the advantage after kills by freshman Madisen Phipps (Boise, Idaho/Timberline), Addi and Lolland, which gave the home team the lead at 18-16. The teams would tie the score four more times at 18, 19, 20 and 21, before an FDU attack error would send Quinnipiac on a four-point run to take the set, 25-21, and tie the match at 1-1.

A service ace from junior Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano) and two Bobcat errors would send the Knights ahead 3-0 to open play in the third set. Quinnipiac would then outscore FDU, 6-2, for a 6-5 lead. The Knights went back on top after a 5-3 run with a kill by Addi and three kills from Lolland for a 10-9 advantage. The Bobcats would take the lead for the last time in the set with three kills for a12-11 advantage, but a kill by Addi would send FDU on a tear. The Knights would go on an 8-1 run with two kills by O'Sullivan to increase their advantage to 19-13. Quinnipiac would only be able to conjure three more point in the set, as kills by Laton and Lolland would give FDU the set by a score of 25-16.

The Bobcats would take an early 4-1 lead to start the fourth set. The Knights would tie the score at 6, 7 and 12, before going on a 4-2 run to take a 16-14 lead. Scoring five of the next eight points, FDU would lead its largest lead of the set at 21-17 after a kill by O'Sullivan and four Bobcat errors. Quinnipiac answered with four straight to tie the set at 21-21. A service error from the Bobcats would give the Knights a chance that they would not capitalize on, as Quinnipiac would take five of the next six points to take the set, 25-23 and deadlock the match at 2-2.

Coming down to the fifth se,t the two teams would battle hard to get the win. The Bobcats would take an early 3-1 lead on the Knights to open play, but FDU would come back to tie the score at 4-4 with a kill by Lolland. However, Quinnipiac would regain the lead, 7-4, with three errors by the Knights. FDU would take four of the next six points, with a kill by Laton and three errors from Quinnipiac to trim the deficit to 9-8, the closest that the Knights would come to the Bobcats. Quinnipiac would take three points in a row, before two attack errors would give FDU a chance with the score 12-10. A service error from the Knights and two Bobcat kills would seal the deal, 15-11, giving Quinnipiac the match.

Lolland would lead the offense for FDU with 14 kills, while Laton followed closy with 10 kills. Butler would be a force at the net with 43 assists, along with Addi, who would lead the team with a career-high 10 blocks. On defense, senior Deborah Hong (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) that led the Knights with 24 digs, followed by O'Sullivan with 15 digs and junior Corey Lostetter (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) with 10 digs.

The Knights open Northeast Conference play this weekend on the road. FDU will take on Robert Morris on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m., before traveling to Loretto, Pa. on Sunday, Sept 28 to face Saint Francs U at 1 p.m.