Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team hosted conference opponent Central Connecticut in the second matchup of their three-game home stand. The Knights fell just short against the Blue Devils in the five-set matinee on Sunday, October 4. In the deciding fifth set, Central Connecticut jumped out to a four-point lead at the middle mark and never looked back. They edged the Knights, 15-11 to take the set and match, 3-2. The Knights fall to 0-3 in conference while the Blue Devils improve to 2-2.
 
To open, Central Connecticut got out to an early lead and kept a steady advantage over FDU. Midway through, the Knights rallied behind kills from the trio of senior Maddie Gibbons (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview Heights), junior Caroline Laton (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) and sophomore Alex Lolland (Auburn, Calif./Del Oro) to eventually push them to a five point lead, 19-14. From there, the Knights held on despite a late five point surge for the Blue Devils. They closed out the set, 25-20.
 
Central Connecticut controlled much of the second set. FDU crept back in towards the end to see themselves only down four, 23-19. A Knights' error on the following sequence brought the set to match point. Lolland landed a kill to extend it but a kill from Central Connecticut's Makenna Lommori would give them the set victory 25-20 and tie the game up, 1-1.
 
The third set remained competitive with neither team being able to grow a lead greater than two. At the 20-18 mark, that changed. Freshman Rebecca Sabol (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) connected on a kill from senior Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano) to open up a three point advantage. A 5-2 run for the Knights granted them the set victory, 25-20 and put them back in front up two sets to one.
 
The Blue Devils won the fourth, 25-10. They broke open an unforgiving lead, 19-9 and ultimately brought the game to a deciding fifth set on a 6-1 spurt.
 
Lolland (15) and Sabol (12) landed kills this game. Butler gathered 45 assists to tie her season high mark. Her and senior Corey Lostetter (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) also tallied 12 digs each. Defensively, sophomore Taylor Wyckoff (San Diego, Calif./Clairemont) totaled seven blocks and Gibbons added six.
 
The Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team will take a short break from conference play to host the Jaspers of Manhattan College, Wednesday, October 7 at Stratis Arena. The match will start promptly at 7pm. Fans can follow along with the action via live stats, live video and @FDUKnights twitter for in-game updates.