HACKENSACK, N.J.- FDU (11-16, 8-3 NEC) defeated New Haven (10-15, 6-5 NEC) 3-0 on Friday, securing another trip to the NEC Championships as a result of the win. FDU also secured their third straight win, while winning each of their last three games in three sets.
The first set stayed level through a 10-10 tie before the Knights scored the next four points to move in front. Alessia Zampieri and Angela Marchetto had kills during the run, which also included two New Haven attack errors.
FDU later extended the lead to 22-15 and reached set point at 24-17 on a block by Isabella Scarfone and Zampieri. New Haven scored three straight to close to 24-20, but Marchetto ended the set with a kill from Scarfone for a 25-20 Knights win.
In the second set, the Knights took control early. Blocks involving Scarfone, Zampieri, Mila Samardzija and Marchetto helped FDU build a 6-1 lead, giving the Knights separation at the start of the set. Two kills from Zampieri and an attack error from the Chargers gave the Knights a greater edge, taking a 16-11 lead.
New Haven worked back with three unanswered points to shrink FDU's lead to 16-14. The Knights continued to battle, answering with kills from Scarfone and Zampieri to take a 20-15 lead late. The Knights ended the second set by securing eight of the final ten points as they closed out the set 25-17.
The Knights fell behind 9-6 in the third set before responding with six straight points to move ahead 12-9. Lopez, Zampieri, and Samardzija landed kills in the six-point run for the home squad.
New Haven later held a 14-13 edge, but FDU broke the set open with an eleven to one run versus the Chargers as the Knights hit their stride. Marchetto and Samardzija played key roles for the Knights in the scoring frenzy, teaming up for a quartet of blocks and accounting for two kills. An ace from Scarfone punctuated the run and put the Knights in position for match point with the score favoring FDU, 24-15.
After surrendering two kills, the Samardzija dealt another kill to seal the set in favor of the Knights, 25-17 as FDU completed their third straight win.
The Knights host New Haven tomorrow at 5 p.m. as the Knights play in their final home game of the season. FDU also will honor their seniors in a pregame senior day ceremony. The ceremony and match will be livestreamed on NEC Front Row.
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