Box Score: Match 1 | Match 2 

LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall's volleyball team delivered back-to-back wins in a home tri-match against Washington College and Clarkson on Saturday. F&M first took down Centennial Conference (CC) opponent Washington by a 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-22) tally before defeating Clarkson in a close 3-2 (17-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-10, 15-12) battle.

The Diplomats ended the day with an 18-5 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in CC games while the Shorewomen dropped to 7-15, 2-6 CC and the Golden Knights finished 11-9. 

Match 1 – F&M 3, WAC 0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-22) 

F&M went on an early 7-1 run in the opening frame that included a Casey Morrow kill and ended with a service ace from Allison Franke to take an 8-3 lead. The Shorewomen threatened the lead, coming within one, but a Barbara Kapustin kill sparked the Diplomats on an 8-0 run with a service ace from Grace Maggiore increasing the deficit to 10. F&M kept the pace with a Morrow kill finishing the set 25-15. 

Building off a service error from Washington, Grace Polisano led from behind the line to help F&M to a 6-3 lead in the second set. Both teams battled to take the lead, while an ace from Delaney Hahn gave the Diplomats the final lead at 11-10. F&M kept the pressure and an Amy Mullen kill capped off a three-point run to increase the lead to 19-15. The Shorewomen fought back within one, but the Diplomats finished out the set with a kill from Franke. 

The Diplomats took a quick 4-0 lead in the final frame. Washington was able to fight back to take the lead, but a kill from Polisano tied the set at 8-8. Played remained close throughout, when an ace from Hahn evened the frame 16-16. F&M kept its foot on the gas and sparked by a kill from Maggiore, finished the match with a 5-0 run with Carlita Bozzo behind the service line.

Franke paced the offense with 12 kills, while Morrow followed with nine. Maggiore notched a double-double of 38 assists and 15 digs. Hahn led from the service line with three aces.

Match 2 – F&M 3, CU 2 (17-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-10, 15-12)

Play was even to start the second match as a kill from Franke evened the set at 3-3. Short runs, including a 3-0 run, helped Clarkson to a 15-7 lead. Back-to-back service aces from Hahn looked to ignite F&M, but the Golden Knights were able to take the first frame 25-17. 

Clarkson kept the pace in the second set, quickly taking a 7-2 lead, but F&M battled back and errors from the Golden Knights brought the Diplomats within one at 19-18. A kill from Franke ignited the offense to finish the set with a 9-2 run while back-to-back kills from Franke and Polisano give F&M the second frame 27-25.

The Diplomats carried the momentum into the third set, taking a 7-2 lead off a Hahn service ace. Back-to-back kills from Franke and Mullen extended the deficit to eight, but Clarkson was able to respond with nine unanswered points to take the lead. A block from Morrow and Kapustin evened the score at 18-18, but the Golden Knights kept the pressure to take the third set 25-23.

F&M opened the fourth set with vengeance, taking a 6-1 lead off a Polisano kill. Hahn delivered a kill to extend the lead to 11-2. A service ace from Bozzon increased the deficit to 12. The Diplomats kept the pressure on as errors from Clarkson ended the set 25-10 in F&M's favor.

Both teams remained even, but back-to-back errors from the Golden Knights gave F&M an 8-5 edge. A kill from Kapustin brought the score to 13-11 while Maggiore was able to finish the match with a kill to give the Diplomats the fifth set. 

Franke led the offense with a season-high 19 kills while Morrow tallied 10 kills and four total blocks. Maggiore recorded her second-straight double-double with 44 assists, 17 digs, and two solo blocks. Carly Ostrowski cemented the defense with a career-high 23 digs.

F&M travels to Selinsgrove on Friday for some non-conference action, taking on Wesleyan at 5:00 p.m. and Susquehanna at 7:00 p.m.