Sept. 17, 2006

Lebanon Valley Invitational wrapup:

The Franklin & Marshall College women's volleyball team fell to Eastern University 3-0 after defeating University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown 3-0 (30-23, 30-15, 30-24) at the first day of the Lebanon Valley Invitational Friday, September 15.

In the first match, outside hitter Erica Spangler recorded 11 kills, two service aces, seven digs, and one block assist to lead her team to its fourth win of the season.

F&M labored to get ahead, as Pitt jumped to a quick 5-2 lead. The Diplomats rallied back to take a 16-9 advantage before libero Nicole Kushman took her team on a 3-0 service run and forced Pitt to call its first timeout. After the break, Pitt managed a meager comeback before F&M rallied out of reach and went up 1-0 in the match off a kill from outside hitter Margot Phelan.

The second game was all F&M, as outside hitter Maritza Fair went on a 4-0 service run and the offense picked away at the Panthers' defense to take the Diplomats out to an 8-2 lead. Pitt called a timeout as the Diplomats reach a 16-9 lead, but it wasn't enough to slow the F&M momentum. Spangler rattled off a 4-0 service run, recording two aces, and the Diplomats went up 2-0 in the match with a 30-15 victory.

In the last game, the teams swapped points before Kushman went on her second significant service run of the night, pushing F&M out to a 7-4 advantage. Despite using both of its timeouts, Pitt could not get on track and fell to F&M off a kill by Spangler.

Against Eastern, F&M fell 3-0 to record its first loss of the season. In the first game, F&M was neck-and-neck with Eastern but unable to take a lead. Despite going on 3-0 and 2-0 runs after a timeout towards the end of the game, F&M fell 26-30.

The second game was even closer, as the Diplomats and Eagles swapped the lead three times before Eastern went on back-to-back service runs to overtop the Diplomats 23-30.

In the third game, F&M played off of a number of Eastern errors but was unable to take home the win and fell to the Eagles 23-30.

In the first day of the tournament, Susan Taylor recorded 18 kills, one service ace, three digs, one solo block, and 2 blocks assisted, while Phelan totaled 21 kills, three aces, two assist, and nine digs. Spangler recorded a total 21 kills, three aces, four assists, 15 digs, and two block assists, and Fair recorded 12 kills, three digs, two solo blocks, and one block assist.

Additionally, Kushman earned 24 digs, one kill, four aces, and one assist, as setter Holly Cordisco corralled 28 assists, one kill, one service ace, four digs, one block solo, and one block assist. Setter Valerie Pusateri summed 49 assists, two kills, two aces, and nine digs.

On Saturday, the Diplomats ended pool play by blanking Neumann 3-0 to earn a bid against host Lebanon Valley for third place. the Dips play Lebanon tough, but lose a tough 15-9 fifth game in suffering a 3-2 loss.

F&M's record is now 5-2; they will play at home Tuesday for a Centennial Conference matchup against Bryn Mawr.