CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (8/27/22) – Franklin Pierce volleyball secured another solo victory on the closing day of Ram Fest, hosted by West Chester University, besting Goldey-Beacom College (0-4) by a 3-0 final score on Saturday morning.

With a win on each day of the tournament, Franklin Pierce moves to a 2-2 overall record on the season.

Match #1: vs. Goldey-Beacom College

In the Ravens' matinee opener against Goldey-Beacom College, the Ravens claimed the victories in all three sets, led by offensive performances from seniors Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I.) and Mariah Robles (West Covina, Calif.).

Combined, the two seniors combined for 15 total kills, with each also posting six service aces. From the defense, junior libero Morgan Schmutzler (Lockport, Ill.) finished with a new season high in digs (17), with freshman Martina Spackova (Bratislava, Slovakia) contributing a team-high four block assists.
 
Following a close victory in the first set, Franklin Pierce dominated in the 2nd frame offense with 16-2 run, featuring a pair of kills by senior Britney Loyd (Coppell, Texas) who concluded the match with a 3rd-best six kills along with a hitting percentage of .667. As a team, the Ravens hit a match-high .158 during the second, with just four errors on 19 total attempts. 

In the early goings of the third, both teams saw the lead change on four separate occasions, before Goldey-Beacom discovered some momentum of their own with a 5-0 scoring run, eventually tying the set at 15-all. In response, Franklin Pierce titled the scales back intheir favor with a streak of their own, jumping to a 22-15 lead on seven straight points. The newly established Ravens lead would prove to be too much for the Lightning to overcome, as the Ravens finalized the shutout win with 25-18 set triumph.

Match #2: vs. West Chester University

In the final match of the tournament for Franklin Pierce, senior middle hitter Ingrid Lindstrom (Dudley, Mass.) led the Raven offense with 15 kills for a team best .444 hitting percentage. Outside hitter Tessa Brandt contributed 11 kills of her own, while also posting a team-best 10 digs for the double-double.

After battling hard through the first two sets of play, the Ravens' lone set victory came in the third. Early on, a balanced offense from both sides saw a closely contested battle that led to a narrow 8-6 lead for Pierce, which transitioned into a Ravens advantage off of four straight offensive errors by the Rams. Tessa Brandt provided the finishing touches on the 5-0 run with a kill off a set from Morgan Schumtzler, giving them a 13-6 cushion.

From there, Franklin Pierce was able to hold their lead with a balanced attack, nearly matching every rebuttal from West Chester. To claim the win, the Ravens claimed four points on five plays, including a pair of service aces from Brandt.

Despite their efforts, the momentum didn't return for the Ravens in the fourth set, with West Chester taking the 25-16 set triumph to remain undefeated on their home court, winning the match 3-1. For Pierce, it was the first match of the tournament that had not been decided in three sets.

The Ravens will now shift their focus to the upcoming Daemen Volleyball Invitational on Sunday, September 4th and Monday, September 5th, where they will face opponents Daemen College, Mercyhurst University and PennWest-Clarion University.