Lancaster, Pa. - The Franklin & Marshall volleyball team fell 1-3 to Carnegie Mellon at the Mayser Center in its first contest of the season. Despite dropping the first two sets on the night, the Diplomats claimed the third frame and played a close fourth set. 

F&M opened up the first frame with a 10-5 advantage before the Tartans answered with a 20-7 run to take a 1-0 lead.

Carnegie Mellon then took its momentum into the second set as it started with a 5-1 edge. After the Diplomats drew even at 7-7, the Tartans scored six unanswered which included kills by four separate players. CMU later clinched the set 25-18. 

The third set began with the two teams tied 10-10 before F&M pulled away with a 14-7 run. A kill by Gianna Mangiamele gave the Diplomats their first set of the match. 

The fourth frame had a near identical start as the third with the two teams knotted up at 15-15. However, the Tartans won nine of the next 10 points and never looked back, clinching the match 3-1. 

Elizabeth Schlemmer led Carnegie Mellon with 15 kills on the night while Mangiamele totaled a team-high 11 kills for F&M. Mindee Lai added 44 assists for the Tartans which was good for a game-high. Both teams registered 50 kills on the night with CMU out-hitting the Diplomats .264 to .139.

Franklin & Marshall will continue its 2023 campaign against SUNY Geneseo and Elizabethtown on Saturday, September 2 at 12 P.M. and 2:30 P.M. respectively as apart of the Scramble Tournament.