HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Faireigh Dickinson volleyball team fell in straight sets (25-12, 25-17, 25-18) to Sacred Heart at the Rothman Center on Friday evening.
 
Junior outside hitter Erika Sullivan paced the Knights (2-14, 0-3 NEC) with nine kills on 22 total attacks, while freshman setter Corina Beimers handed out 17 assists in the loss. Defensively, freshman Kati Quaintance followed her nine-block performance against NJIT by totaling five blocks on Friday night and libero Jaelyn Young recorded a match-high 13 digs.
 
Sacred Heart's Liisel Nelis led all players with 12 kills and added 10 digs. Nelis entered the match as the NEC's leader in kills per set at 3.54. Freshman setter Sara Ciszek logged 29 assists for the Pioneers and recorded nine digs.
 
In the first set, the Knights held an 8-7 edge after a service ace by Beimers, however, the Pioneers took control from that point on, scoring seven of the next eight points. Leading 19-12, the Pioneers tallied the final six points of the set to take a 1-0 match lead.
 
After falling into a 15-4 hole in the second frame, the Knights displayed resilience by chipping away to get within six, 22-16. The comeback included three kills by Sullivan. With the six-point lead, the Pioneers stopped the Knights' momentum and closed out the set with kills from Nelis and Alix Polk.
 
The Knights found themselves down 15-4 again in the third set but managed to fight back by scoring 11 of the next 13 points. An ace by Quaintance made it a 17-13 game but the Pioneers had the answer. Nelis stopped the run with a kill and then Emma Smallcomb served an ace to get the Pioneers back on track.
 
Leading 20-13, the Pioneers closed out the match and the set without letting the Knights gain ground.
 
The Knights are back in action at home for their next match when they welcome Saint Peter's to the Rothman Center on Wednesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m.