Ravens continue prep for 2013 campaign

NORWOOD, Mass. (April 23, 2013) – The Franklin Pierce University volleyball team was in non-traditional-season action over the weekend, as it traveled to MGA Sports Center to play in a collegiate tournament put on by the New England Region Volleyball Association. At the event, Franklin Pierce won its pool before defeating Saint Anselm and Bentley to claim the title.

In pool play, the Ravens split with both Merrimack (20-25, 25-22) and Bentley (25-17, 20-25), while sweeping two sets from Curry (25-7, 25-10). Franklin Pierce served up 18 aces over the six sets (6.0 per set) and sophomore outside hitter Catie Swiderski (Rocky Point, N.Y.) led the way with 11 kills, including five against Merrimack. Freshman outside hitter Sydni Schulz (Cypress, Texas) and junior right side Natasha Ray (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added nine kills each, with the former piling up a team-best six against Merrimack.

With pool play done, the Ravens sat in a three-way tie with Merrimack and Bentley at the top of the table, but claimed the first seed in the knockout stage, by virtue of their point differential against Curry. Franklin Pierce met Saint Anselm in the semifinal, and Swiderski hammered out eight kills and committed just one error to hit .333 over 21 attempts as the Ravens posted a 25-11, 25-18 victory.

This set Franklin Pierce up against Bentley in the final round, though they faced a different Bentley squad than before, as the Falcons sent two squads to the tournament. The Ravens dropped the first set, 23-25, before storming back with 25-15 and 18-16 wins to claim the title. Ray and Schulz carried the load in the final, as the former collected eight kills without committing an error, while the latter put down seven kills. The Ravens served up six aces in the match.

Franklin Pierce finished the 2012 season 19-15 (12-3 Northeast-10), to finish third in the Northeast-10 and set a program record for Conference victories along the way. The team hosted a postseason match for the first time in program history, and was ultimately rewarded with the program's first trip to the NCAA Championship, as the fifth seed in the East Regional.

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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce volleyball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).