CENTER VALLEY, Pa.- The (RV) Franklin & Marshall volleyball team (7-0) pushed their season-opening winning streak to seven matches with Wednesday night's sweep of DeSales (3-4).

Coco Shultz led the offensive effort with a 13-kill performance, hitting .333 with three aces and nine digs. Chloe Wiedman had a team-best ten digs and three aces, while Emily Dean posted a team-best four aces plus nine digs. Liah Perez and Carly Campbell evenly split setting duties with 16 assists apiece. Melissa Benkowitz had eight kills and eight digs. 

F&M opened set one on a 4-0 run with kills from Ceci Connolly and Shultz. The teams traded serves over the next phase of the set, with F&M maintaining a 12-8 lead. The Bulldogs slowly reduced the deficit, eventually working within a point at 17-16. Holding a 20-19 lead that was never conceded, the Diplomats regained momentum, closing out the set with a five-point run with kills from Mya Anderson, Shultz, and Perez, and an ace from Dean.

Tied at 2-2 to begin the second set, F&M claimed four of the next five points for a 6-3 lead. That lead  evaporated on a three-point run from DeSales to tie things up at 6-6. The Diplomats broke the deadlock with three-straight points, including two aces from Benkowitz, to now lead 9-6. DeSales broke the run briefly, as F&M pushed their lead to 13-7 with four-straight points. The Diplomats maintained this gap up to a 20-15 scoreline. The Bulldogs got back within two points at 20-18, but F&M again ended the set on a high note with a 5-0 run to close out the second game. Jillian Surkis had two kills in the run. 

F&M opened set three with a 5-2 lead thanks to a kill and ace from Shultz. The Bulldogs swung the set back in their favor with a four-point run for a 6-5 lead. Their largest lead was 9-6, as F&M reclaimed the lead on a 5-0 run that featured two aces from Dean for a 13-10 advantage. F&M pushed their lead to 17-11 thanks to a four-point run, and they entered the late stages of the set with a 20-15 lead. DeSales closed within two points, but F&M recovered by outscoring DeSales 5-3 the rest of the way, winning the match on a kill from Shultz at 25-21.

The Diplomats host No. 9 Washington & Lee and Keystone in a tri-match this Saturday, September 13. They'll face the Generals at noon before wrapping up the day against the Giants at 5:00 p.m.