RINDGE, N.H. (September 22, 2015) – Freshman Katie Leidhold (Acushnet, Mass.) made the best of her first official collegiate home game, hitting a total of 13 kills with a .324 hitting percentage while also collecting 18 digs to complete a double-double as the Franklin Pierce University volleyball team completed a three-set sweep of Southern New Hampshire University Penmen at the Fieldhouse.

With the win, the Ravens get a win in their first conference game of the season, and improve to 7-5 overall (1-0 Northeast-10), while Southern New Hampshire drops to .500 at 6-6 (1-1 Northeast-10).

Leidhold pounded six kills out of the gate in set one, even the first two offensive points to get the ball rolling. However, the first set would be the closest finish of the night, as both squads battled up to a 20-20 score. Franklin Pierce would then outscore the Penmen 5-2 to close out the set and take a 1-0 lead.

The second set brought more drama between the two teams, as once again would play a close-fought set, coming even at 16-16 midway through. The Ravens used an attack error to take a slight 17-16 lead, and would just take off from there. Thanks to multiple kills from freshman Abigail Sonuga (Haverhill, Mass.), Franklin Pierce would rip off seven points in a row before giving up one. But the Penmen rally was short-lived, as Leidhold closed the door one rally later with a kill for the 25-17 win, and 2-0 lead in the match.

The third and final set was once again controlled by the Ravens, despite Southern New Hampshire in the driver's seat to begin the set. Franklin Pierce would make a quick recovery, tie the set at 7-7, and take off from there. The Ravens would take the win 25-17, with Leidhold coming up clutch with the match-sealing kill, giving the Ravens the 3-0 win.

Leidhold's 13 kills would be supplemented by junior Aiden Garcia (Eagle Pass, Texas) who collected 10 kills of her own. The two would be the only Franklin Pierce players in double-figures in that category. The offense would facilitate through sophomore Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.), as she passed around 39 assists. The Ravens were solid defensively, as three players finished with double-digit digs. Senior Sarah MacHugh (Red Hook, N.Y.) followed behind Leidhold with 16, while fellow senior Catherine Purdy (Ossining, N.Y.) dug up 11 digs.

For Southern New Hampshire, Marisa Coronis had a strong showing leading the team with 14 kills and zero attack errors, while Holly Adams made a solid contribution to the offense with 10 kills of her own. Catherine Cotton would snag a double-double with 28 assists and 16 digs, while Maeghan Higgins would come through with a team-leading 24 digs.

The Ravens return to action this Saturday, September 26 as they take on New Haven in the Fieldhouse beginning at 1 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce volleyball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).