EASTON, Pa. – The Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team dropped its final match at the Lafayette Invitational, falling to the host Leopards in straight sets 25-21, 25-10, 25-21 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Knights (2-10) finished the weekend with a 1-2 record after recording a five-set win earlier in the day over Delaware State.
 
Sophomore Erin Singer paced the Knights for the second match in a row and tied classmate Nataliya Rybakova with a team-high eight kills. Freshman setter Corina Beimers dished out 19 assists in the loss and was named to the All-Tournament Team following the match.
 
The Knights held a 12-10 lead in the opening set before the Leopards roared back with five straight tallies to take control. The game remained tight as the Knights held within one point for most of the way but the Leopards claimed the win by scoring the final three points including back-to-back service aces from Julia Howard.
 
In the second frame, the Leopards broke open a two-point game by rattling off a 15-2 run. Aubrey Mangum totaled three aces over the course of the game-changing surge. Leading 22-7, the Leopards coasted to the finish and a 2-0 match lead.
 
The Knights led 16-12 in the third set after back-to-back kills by Rybakova and Erika Sullivan, however, the Leopards countered with a 7-1 spurt and managed to hold on to the lead the rest of the way.
 
After playing the first 12 matches on the road, the 2018 home opener is next for the Knights on Friday, September 21 against LIU Brooklyn. The contest, which is set for 5:00 p.m., marks the start of NEC play for the Knights and Blackbirds.