PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team fell in straight sets to Brown (25-15, 25-13, 14) and Coppin State (26-24, 25-11, 25-22) at the Friar Classic on Saturday afternoon.
The Knights (0-10) were unable to take a set on the afternoon in their final two matches at the Classic, which was hosted by Providence College.
Brown 3, FDU 0
In the Knights' first match of the day, they took on the Brown Bears (6-1) who had it rolling from the outset.
The Bears captured a 10-4 lead in the first set before the Knights chipped away and pulled to within three, 13-10, after consecutive kills by
Mujay Mambu and
Cloe Abadie Calderon. Mambu paced the Knights in the loss with eight kills in the match. The Bears regained control and pulled way for the 10-point win.
Trailing 11-7 in the second set, the Burgundy and Blue watched the Bears rattled off eight straight points including three kills by Gabrielle Moriconi. Moriconi tallied 11 kills in the contest, while teammate Makena Ehlert led all players with 12.
The Knights trailed 6-5 early in the third set after an ace by
Allison Koester however, the Bears would pull away and finalize the straight-set victory.
Coppin State 3, FDU 0
The Knights posted their highest attack percentage of the weekend in the opening set against the Eagles (3-6). Led by junior
Magdalena Maksimovic, the Burgundy and Blue registered a .200 attack rate in a neck-and-neck first set battle.
Trailing 20-18, the Knights rattled off five straight points to take a 23-20 edge. With Koester serving, Maksimovic tallied a kill, which spearheaded the run. The Knights earned the first set point following another Maksimovic kill but the Eagles netted the final three points and stole the opening set.
The momentum continued into the second set for the Eagles who stretched a one-point lead to six aided by two service aces from Chelsie Kolibar. Kolibar finished with four aces in the match.
With the Eagles holding a two-point lead in the third set,
Jaelyn Young served up five straight points for the Burgundy and Blue. Maksimovic and
Victoria Demmene each recorded a kill over that span. Young would total 16 digs in the contest – her second-highest output of the campaign.
The Knights' lead would not last as the Eagles came right back and the teams eventually tied at 20-20. A Kolibar ace sandwiched three straight tallies for the Eagles, who pulled away and took a 23-20 edge.
Sophia Spiridonakos served up an ace for the Knights but the Eagles closed out the match by scoring the final two points of the afternoon.
Spiridonakos was named to the Friar Classic All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the weekend.
Next Up
The Knights travel to Lewisburg, Pa. to compete in the Bucknell Invitational next weekend September 20-21. First up is a tilt with Delaware State on Friday night before the Burgundy and Blue square off with Bucknell and Hampton on Saturday.
