Duo combines for 30 kills, 34 digs

RINDGE, N.H. (October 22, 2011) – Sophomore right side Natasha Ray (Colorado Springs, Colo.) hit .240 with a team-best 16 kills and added 16 digs, while freshman outside hitter Catie Swiderski (Rocky Point, N.Y.) added 14 kills and 18 digs on Saturday afternoon to lead the Franklin Pierce University volleyball team to a 3-2 win over Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Conference play at the Fieldhouse. The match was a part of Franklin Pierce's second annual Fall Sports Breast Cancer Awareness Day, raising money in support of breast cancer awareness and research.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 10-10 (4-5 Northeast-10), while Saint Rose falls to 11-8 (6-4 Northeast-10). After Franklin Pierce took the first two sets, 25-20 and 25-23, Saint Rose battled back with 25-22 and 25-18 wins to level the score and force the decisive fifth set. The fifth would go long before the Ravens squeaked out the 20-18 win to take the match.

The fifth set would never feature a deficit of more than two points in either direction, as Saint Rose staved off match point three times, while Franklin Pierce escaped two of its own, before the Ravens picked up the win. Saint Rose served for the set at 14-13 and 16-15, but committed service errors each time. Franklin Pierce served for the set at 15-14, 17-16 and 18-17, but senior outside hitter Aubrey Bobo, junior right side Kaitlyn Jasnica and senior outside hitter Sarah Kahrs, respectively, notched kills to keep the match going. Finally, with the fifth set knotted at 18-18, sophomore middle Katie Jackson (Centennial, Colo.) put away back-to-back kills to give the Ravens the 20-18 win.

For the Ravens, Jackson joined Ray and Swiderski in double digits offensively with 12 kills of her own, while sophomore middle Ashley Bruce (Hampton Falls, N.H.) added seven and freshman middle Jocelyn Smith (Groton, Conn.) chipped in six and hit .500 over 10 swings. As always, the Ravens ran the offense through sophomore setter Stephanie Svorinic (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who dished out 51 assists.

Defensively, sophomore libero Lauren Miller (Alexandria, Ind.) led all players with 28 digs, while Swiderski and Ray picked up 18 and 16, respectively, as each completed double-doubles. At the net, Smith tied for the match lead with five block assists.

Saint Rose featured a double-barrel attack of Bobo and Kahrs, as the former notched a match-best 21 kills, while the latter pounded out 20 of her own and hit a team-high .381 (minimum 10 attacks) over 42 swings. The Golden Knights also worked with a dual-setter offense, as freshman Ariana Wilson led the team with 27 assists and classmate Tori Daniels handed out 20 more.

Defensively for the Golden Knights, freshman libero Katy Daniels led the team with 26 digs, while Tori Daniels (17), Kahrs (11) and sophomore outside hitter Christina Strezenec (10) all reached double digits as well. Both Kahrs and Tori Daniels finished with double-doubles. Up front, sophomore middle Alex Gagliano matched Smith with five block assists.

The Ravens return to the court on Sunday, Oct. 23, when they remain home to host Le Moyne in a Northeast-10 Conference match. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Fieldhouse.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).