Volleyball wins fifth in a row, trounce Saint Anselm 3-0

RINDGE, N.H. (October 27, 2015) – The Franklin Pierce University Ravens volleyball team kept the ball rolling on their season on Tuesday night, as they ended a four-game home stand with yet another win, 3-0, over the Saint Anselm College Hawks at the Fieldhouse. Sophomore Hannah St. Jean (Olympia, Wash.) was the standout performer for the Ravens, notching a team-high nine kills while hitting .600 for the match.

With the win, the Ravens have now won five in a row, and nine of their last 10 improving to 14-6 (8-1 Northeast-10). Saint Anselm drops to 7-12 (3-6 Northeast-10) on the season.

Hampering both sides over the evening were errors, both receiving and hitting. Saint Anselm committed a total of 41 errors over the match, while Franklin Pierce was able to limit theirs to 28 errors. Saint Anselm also had trouble finding the floor, only recording 24 kills while committing 23 attacking errors. Franklin Pierce also showed a strong net presence, led by freshman Abigail Sonuga (Haverhill, Mass.) who got a hand in five of the nine team blocks on the evening.

Franklin Pierce would make quick work of the Hawks, as they were able to snag control of the first set after a stumble at the start. With the score 7-6, the Ravens would outscore the Hawks 18-8 down the stretch of the set and take a 25-14 win to go up 1-0. Set two saw just about the same result for the Saint Anselm, as Franklin Pierce was able to once again pull away after a 9-8 score mid-set by outscoring the Hawks 16-8 to take the second set 25-16.

With the Ravens up 2-0 in the match, Saint Anselm responded well with their backs against the wall. They were able to take a 12-11 lead mid-way through set three, facing a must-win situation. After a Franklin Pierce timeout, the Ravens would respond mightily going on an 8-2 run to take a 19-14 lead. Saint Anselm would then call a timeout, and would get back within striking distance late at 21-18. But Franklin Pierce would once again respond and shut the door, dashing hopes for the Hawks and down them 25-20 and taking the match 3-0.

St. Jean led all hitters in both kills and attack percentage, but was closely followed by sophomore Madison Klusendorf (Santa Maria, Calif.) with eight kills. Junior Aiden Garcia (Eagle Pass, Texas) chipped in with seven kills while Sonuga got in on the party with six kills as well. Sophomore Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.) helped it all happen by tossing around 24 assists on the night.

Besides having a strong game at the net, the Ravens were also aided with solid defense by Runge, along with freshman Katie Leidhold (Acushnet, Mass.) and senior Sarah MacHugh (Red Hook, N.Y.). Leidhold led the way with 14 digs, while MacHugh and Runge each chipped in with 11. Leidhold also added in three service aces to her resume for the night.

For Saint Anselm, Lauren Oxley and Katy Teets each recorded a team-high six assists, while Danielle Isabell led defensively with 12 digs. Jewel Hays was the only other Hawk in double-digit digs with 10, while she also provided the offense with 20 assists on the night.

The Ravens return to the court this Friday, October 30 when they go back onto the road to Long Island to play at regional foe Dowling. Game time is set for 7 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).