BUFFALO, N.Y.- The FDU Knights (10-9, 4-2 NEC) swept D'Youville (2-19, 0-8 NEC) in their second meeting of the weekend. The Knights ride a four game win streak as they approach a four game homestand in the final stretch of the regular season. The Knights out-hit the Saints .365 to -.095, while logging 7 aces and just 8 attacking errors.
The Knights muscled out to a 4-2 lead, with aces from
Jamal Ellis and
Dylan McFadden helping FDU secure an early advantage. The Knights remained in front by just two 6-4, before
Baboloki Silwane helped generate three straight points for FDU. Silwante helped set up two kills and recorded an ace to extend th Knights lead, 9-4.
Leading 9-5, the Knights launched a flurry of offensive plays, beginning with kills from Ellis and
Panagiotis Kourmouzos.
Laydon Biro followed up the effort with back-to-back aces. A lone Saints' point separated FDU runs, as the Knights were sprung onto another five-point-run by McFadden and Ellis kills. The Knights led 18-6 following the 9-1 burst.
D'Youville errors put the Knights in position to secure the set, with a double-block from Kourmouzos and Ellis leading to a set-clinching attack error from the home squad. The Knights took set one 25-15.
Biro started the Knights up in the second set, as Ellis helped follow up his kill to give FDU a 3-2 lead. Two service errors and a Silwane kill helped the Knights keep their edge, leading 6-5.
The Knights were matched point for point before two D'Youville errors extended the lead. Biro added a kill to extend the lead, 11-8. The Saints continued to close the gap, however the Knights countered their opponents with solid outside hitting from McFadden, Ellis, and Biro. The Knights led 24-17 late, before the Saints launched a three-point-run to close up the gap. A D'Youville attacking error ended the set, 25-20.
FDU began the third set wth the a 3-1 lead, before Silwane and
Rayjan Suarez Palacios combined for a block to give FDU the 4-1 edge. D'Youville battled back early, tying the contest at 6-6. FDU launched a five-point-run, with Silwane logging an ace, alongside kills from Ellis and Kourmouzos. FDU led 11-6.
The Saints narrowed the gap to 12-10, before the Knights logged three blocks over five unanswered points. McFadden contributed two unassisted, with Ellis and Kourmouzos lending a double block. The Knights led 17-10 late into the third set.
Two consecutive from
Tim Smith set the Knights up for match-point, which was delivered by another opposing attack error. The Knights wrapped completed the sweep with a 25-15 third set score.
The Knights return to the Bogota Savings Bank Center to host a weekend slate versus Daemen. The first match begins April 3 at 6 p.m. on NEC Front Row.
