EASTON, Pa. - The Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team returned to action on Saturday at the Lafayette Invitational and dropped both of its matches.
The Knights fell to NJIT in their first match in straight sets (22-25, 20-25, 24-26) before ultimately falling to host Lafayette 3-1. The Knights took the first set against the Leopards 27-25, but fell in the next three sets (13-25, 21-25, 23-25).
NJIT 3, Fairleigh Dickinson 0
(22-25, 20-25, 24-26)
In their first match of the day, the Knights went up against the Highlanders of NJIT. The first set saw the Highlanders jump out to an early 8-4 lead before the Knights tallied four straight points behind two kills by Emma Liller to even the match at 8.
After back-to-back kills by Magdalena Maksimovic and McKenna Setterlund recording a kill, the Knights held a 16-12 lead. NJIT responded by scoring seven of the next eight points to take the first set 25-22.
The second set saw the Knights jump out quickly to a 5-2 lead after another Maksimovic kill. The Highlanders turned the momentum by earning six of seven points a few minutes later to take a 13-8 lead over FDU.
Trailing 16-10, the Knights put on a dominating run by scoring six straight led by a Nataliya Rybakova kill to even the match.
Despite multiple kills by Taylor Wyckoff, the Knights overtake the Highlanders lead as NJIT took the second set 25-20.
The start of the third set favored the Highlanders as they quickly jumped out to a 7-2 lead. Teamwork and communication got the Knights back in it with solid defense and a Liller kill deadlocked the third set at 15.
Kills by Erika Sullivan, Allison Koester, and Setterlund were not enough as the Highlanders previaled in a close third set 26-24 to win the match aganst the Knights.
Maksimovic led the Knights with 11 kills, Wyckoff had a team-high seven blocks, and Setterlund dished out 15 assists.
Lafayette 3, Fairleigh Dickinson 1
(27-25, 13-25, 21-25, 23-25)
The Knights second game they took on the Leopards of Lehigh. Despite taking the first set, the Knights fell to the Leopards in the next three sets to drop the match.
In the first set, the Knights started hot by taking a 13-3 lead early. Annabel Reyes, Taylor Wyckoff, and Magdalena Maksimovic ignited the offense with kills.
The Leopards made a run throughout the match but Emma Liller and and Reyes clinched the first set with back-to-back kills. Erika Sullivan recorded an ace an Reyes rocketed sive kills in the first.
The second set was all Lafayette as the Leopards jumped out to a 9-2 lead. Taylor Wyckoff did her best to keep the Knights in it by recording a kil to make it 11-7, but Lafayette responded by scoring nine on next 10 points.
McKenna Setterlund and Maksimovic tried to to keep the Knights afloat but the Leopards were too much as they took the second set 25-13.
The third frame saw FDU fall behind early 8-3. Feeling the pressure, Wyckoff and Maksimovic tried to take command and lead the Knights. The duo put the pressure on the Leopards with Maksimovic skying in the air to record multiple kills. Wyckoff tallied multiple blocks and keyed an important kill.
Despite a Setterlund kill and an ace from Wyckoff, the Knights could not prevail in the third, falling 25-21.
The fourth frame saw a fast start from the Knights as Allison Koester registered back-to-back aces to give FDU the momentum. Trailing 9-3, the Leopards clawed six straight points to even the match at 9.
Midway through the frame, a Setterlund ace and a Wyckoff kill gave Fairleigh Dickinson a 13-9 advantage. Though the Leopards responded to take nine on the next 12 points to give Lafayette the edge and momentum to take down the Knights 25-23.
Carly O'Sullivan recorded a team-high 20 digs, Wyckoff registered a team-best 13 kills and three blocks, and Setterlund tallied 31 assists and 13 digs.
Fairleigh Dickinson will return to action on Tuesday as they travel to NJIT with first serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
