LANCASTER, Pa.- The Franklin & Marshall volleyball team (1-0) earned a four set win (25-23, 25-13, 24-26, 25-12) over Lancaster Bible (0-1) to open both the Franklin & Marshall Scramble and 2025 season.

Coco Shultz delivered an all-around performance, totaling 14 kills with a .429 hitting percentage, three aces, and 15 digs. Ceci Connolly registered a team-high 17 kills, while Carly Campbell assisted 25 times with three aces and 11 digs. Melissa Benkowitz led F&M with a career-high 22 digs, while Chloe Wiedman had 17. Emily Dean totaled three aces and 11 digs.

F&M maintained a modest lead for much of their first set win. Set one saw nine ties and F&M never led by more than five up to winning at 25-23. A 6-2 run in the middle of the set put the Diplomats up 16-11, but the Chargers responded with a 7-2 stretch to tie the set at 18-each. The teams traded serves several times before F&M took advantage of back-to-back Lancaster Bible errors to lead 23-21. The teams traded serves up to Shultz' set-point kill.

After claiming the first three points, F&M soon saw set two tied at 6-6. From there F&M scored 11 of the next 13 points, including three kills from Shultz, two Campbell aces, and two Connolly kills. Ahead 18-9 at this point, the Diplomats maintained the lead up winning the set, 25-13.

F&M broke an early deadlock in the third set with a 5-0 run for a 7-4 advantage. The Chargers consistently closed this modest gap, eventually claiming the lead at 12-11 on a 4-1 stretch. Each team followed this with three-point runs, putting Lancaster Bible back ahead by one point. Down 20-18, F&M rallied with a five-point swing to reach match point. The Chargers fought off the end to their night with six consecutive points, securing a fourth set on an ace. 

The Diplomats consistently pulled away in the fourth set, using a 5-0 run and a later 5-1 run to lead 13-7. After the Chargers claimed three of the next four points, F&M cruised to the finish, scoring 11 of the last 13 points and securing the first match of the year on a kill from Benkowitz. 

The Diplomats conclude this weekend's home tournament tomorrow when they host Randolph-Macon at noon and Susquehanna at 2:30 p.m.