COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - In just its second five-set match played this season, the Franklin & Marshall Volleyball team defeated Ursinus, 3-2 on Wednesday night. Gianna Mangiamele set a personal best with 19 kills in the match while Liah Perez recorded a career-high 39 assists. 

Ursinus led the entire way in the opening set, although the difference never reached more than four at any point. Trailing 5-1 to begin the frame, the Diplomats won three straight points but were answered by three consecutive points by the Bears. The Diplomats later evened the score at 13-13 before back-to-back points by Ursinus gave the Bears the edge again. The score was tied twice more at 17-17 and 20-20, but Ursinus managed to hang on to a 25-23 win.

The second game saw F&M lead the whole way with the score tied just twice. After the Diplomats jumped out to a 8-2 lead, the Bears rallied to make it it 9-8. Ursinus would then level the score at 11-11 and again at 12-12 before a 6-0 run provided breathing room for F&M. The Diplomats went on to close out the stanza, 25-19, to get even in sets. 

Neither team led by more than four in the third frame, with seven lead changes and 14 ties. The two teams exchanged points to start the set until four straight points by the Bears, the largest run of the game, led to a 17-14 advantage. Later trailing 22-18, F&M won six of the next seven points to bring up set point. However, Ursinus staved it off, and again at 25-24, before ending the frame with a 28-26 win. 

After the Bears got out to a 7-2 advantage, the Diplomats chipped away at the gap and tied the game at 13-13. Moments later, F&M took its first lead of the set at 15-14, and would not look back, staying ahead for the remainder of the stanza. Tied 15-15, a 9-3 run put the Diplomats up 24-18, who ended the game just two rallies later to send the contest into a decisive fifth set. 

With Ursinus leading 2-1 to the start the final game, F&M won three straight points for a 4-2 edge. Shortly after, the Diplomats used a 6-1 run to grow their lead to 11-6. Perez provided the match-clinching kill for F&M, as the Diplomats won their second straight contest. 

In addition to career nights for Mangiamele and Perez, Meredith Mangum inched closer to 1,000 career digs with 21 in the tilt.

F&M will return to action on Saturday, October 21 at 1 p.m. to face Haverford at the Mayser Center on senior day.