Mariah Robles
Mariah Robles

Robles, Lindstrom, Keeps Team in NE10 Playoff Hunt With Pair of Double-Digit Kill Performances

GARDEN CITY, N.J. (November 8, 2019) – Needing a win to stay in the hunt for a Northeast-10 Conference Championship berth, the Franklin Pierce University volleyball program behind a pair of performances by freshmen Mariah Robles (West Covina, Calif.) and Ingrid Lindstrom (Dudley, Mass.) made quick work of conference opponent and no. 9 regionally-ranked Adelphi University 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20) Friday evening at the Center for Recreation and Sport.

With the win, the Ravens winners of three of their last four games, improve to 10-11 overall and 4-6 NE10 while the Panthers slide to 11-10, 4-6 NE10. In the conference standings, the Ravens currently stand in ninth place ahead of Adelphi because they have the head-to-head win over them. They are one game back of Le Moyne College (5-6 NE10) for the eighth and final playoff spot, however, the Dolphins hold the head to head with a win over Pierce.

The victory was also the first on Long Island for the Ravens volleyball program since the Panthers joined the NE10 back in 2009. It also marked the first time FPU beat Adelphi since a 3-1 win in the Fieldhouse back on Friday, November 11, 2016.

Robles notched the second double-double of her freshman season racking up 13 kills and 10 digs. She was one of four Ravens with double-digit digs on the night. Her classmate Lindstrom had a team-high 14 kills and a .310 hitting percentage with three total blocks. Lindstrom also tallied her 200th kill of the season (210 kills) as her and fellow middle hitter Abigail Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colorado) (202 kills) have been a force at the middle of the net for the crimson and grey.

Reigning NE10 Libero of the Week, Ellie Ivanova (Sofia, Bulgaria) saw her streak of 20+ dig games come to an end as she paced all Raven athletes with 19. Freshman outside hitter Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I.) compiled 16 digs on defense while setter Mary Pease (East Haddam, Conn.) totaled a match-high 43 assists to go along with 10 digs.

For Adelphi, Sara Mandreja was set up for attacks a match-high 58 times and came away with only 17 kills and a .103 hitting percentage, she had seven digs and three blocks. Cara McKenzie had 10 kills, two blocks, an ace, and a dig. Katarina Warburton led all players with a game-high 26 digs on defense.

As a team, the Ravens recorded a better hitting percentage in every set they won including match wide (.175-to-.138.). Adelphi was doomed by attack errors (30-to-24) and service errors (9-to-2) as Pierce capitalized on their miscues.

A block at the net of McKenzie by Brandt and Garnhart pushed the Ravens ahead by three, 11-8 in the opening set. Adelphi tallied a 7-0 burst with one point coming after an FPU timeout to lead 15-11. Pierce rallied back with an 8-2 run of their own to lead 19-17 following a Robles ace and a Mandreja attack error. The hosts came within one on the next serve, but a Lindstrom and Brandt block was the turning point in the set before Garnhart capped off the set one victory.

The Ravens fell behind 7-3 in the second set. They came within one when Pease set up Lindstrom for a middle mash and took the lead 9-8 off another Lindstrom kill. Adelphi stopped play with a timeout and out produced the Ravens 7-2 over the next few serves to hold a 15-11 edge. Pierce cut their deficit down to two, 16-14 until three straight established a five-point, 19-14 lead for the hosts. Still ahead by five 22-17, the Ravens dropped the margin to two, 22-20 via a Lindstrom kill and an Ivanova ace. Adelphi scored the final three points to take their only set of the match.

Adelphi had a one point, 13-12 edge until a Britney Loyd (Coppell, Texas) kill with a Garnhart ace and three attack errors put the Ravens ahead 17-13. Late in the set, Rachel Ten Doeschate skied up for a block to pull her team within one, 22-21. A Cara McKenzie solo stuff of Garnhart tied the score in the all-important third set. Robles killed off a free ball to put the Ravens on the brink of a 2-1 match lead. Loyd and Lindstrom concluded the set blocking McKenzie for the second time over the past three serves to complete the 25-23 third set win.

Pierce battled back down 9-4 early in the fourth set. Trailing by five, 11-6, Pierce reeled off nine straight all with team captain Jocelyn Moody (Biddeford, Maine) serving. Lindstrom accounted for three kills during the scoring binge as well as three straight Adelphi attack errors. Serves later, Sophia Powless brought it to a 17-16 game. Holding a two point advantage, Pierce reeled off three straight, one from another Robles lefty strike and two by way of attack error to lead 22-17. Pease clinched the game with a skip set as the Ravens left Long Island with a 3-1 victory.

The Ravens end their road portion of the schedule tomorrow when they take on Pace University (3-20, 2-8 NE10) at 1:00 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://fpuravens.com). 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 apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://www.shopfpuravens.com) You can also follow the volleyball program on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensVB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpuravensvb/).