Box Score

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – In its season finale, the Fairleigh Dickinson women's volleyball team would force a fifth set on the road against the No. 2 seeded LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds. Unfortunately, the opponent proved to be too much for the Knights in the deciding set as they would win it 15-9 and improve to 13-12, 12-2 NEC. FDU sees their season end at 10-19, 3-11 in conference action.
 
The Blackbirds controlled the opening set from start to finish. Senior Allison Butler (Plano, Texas/Plano), classmate Maddie Gibbons (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview Heights) and junior Caroline Laton (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) each landed a kill to close in on their deficit, 14-11. The Blackbirds would continue their dominance and coast to a 25-19 victory.
 
In the second set, that dominance would shift and see the Knights in control. Following an FDU error a point before, Gibbons and Laton shared a block to tie the set, 2-2. After that, they never looked back. FDU kept that defense up forcing three consecutive attack errors for LIU Brooklyn to give them a five point advantage, 15-10. From that point, the Knights generated a 10-4 run to sail to a second set victory, 25-14 and knot the match 1-1 sets.
 
Set three was competitive for both clubs though LIU Brooklyn managed to clinch the lead. A shared block for the duo of freshman Rebecca Sabol (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) and Laton sparked a run for the Knights who corralled a 4-0 run to tie things up 16-16. The Knights managed to jump in front, 21-19 but three service aces for LIU Brooklyn's would ultimately change the fate of the set and reward the victory to the Blackbirds, 25-22.
 
Sophomore Taylor Wyckoff (San Diego, Calif./Clairemont) landed five kills on perfect hitting to help steer the Knights to a fourth set victory. This included one to bring the score to 21-19 favoring the Knights. FDU continued to impose their pressure to avoid another late comeback for LIU Brooklyn like the Blackbirds did a set prior. This time, the Knights' defense proved to be too much for their opponent forcing them to into three late errors to see the set unfold in their favor 25-22.
 
Butler totaled 37 assists this game to go with 20 digs. Sophomore Alex Lolland (Auburn, Calif./Del Oro) was the kills leader for the Knights finishing with 17 while Sabol (11), Wyckoff (10) and Gibbons (8) also contributed. Wray registered 22 digs while Laton ended with eight blocks.