TAMPA (September 3, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce volleyball team lost both of their matches Saturday during the second and final day of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic hosted by the University of Tampa. The crimson and grey were swept in three sets by Pittsburgh Johnstown (15-25, 22-25, 21-25) and in their final contest of the trip by Henderson State (17-25, 28-30, 13-25). FPU heads back to Rindge with a 0-4 record.

Game One: Pittsburgh Johnstown 3, Franklin Pierce 0 (15-25, 22-25, 21-25)

Katie Leidhold (Acushnet, Mass.) led FPU with 11 kills while chipping in on defense with six digs. Abigail Sonuga (Haverhill, Mass.) had a .444 hitting percentage to go along with eight kills and a team-high three total blocks. Junior setter Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.) dished out 22 assists, added five digs and was active at the net matching Sonuga's three swats.

FPU jumped out to a 5-4 lead during the opening moments of the match thanks to an attack error by Maura Brehl. The teams traded points until Brittney Carias (Burlingame, Calif.) notched a service ace and another Brehl error regained the lead, 9-8 in favor of the Ravens. An 8-2 binge by the Mountain Cats put them up 16-11 due to a ball handling error by Runge which forced the crimson and grey to take a timeout. The Ravens tallied four points the rest of the way and Johnstown ended the first set with a dual block by Anna Johns and Brehl.

The second set saw the Ravens start fast as they jumped out to a five point, 11-6 lead with key blocks by teammates Abigail Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Runge. With Delaney Roman serving, the Mountain Cats knotted up the game at 11 each after a kill by Cambria Wierman that was set up by Allison Mondroff.

With Pittsburgh Johnstown gaining momentum, the crimson and grey stopped play with a timeout which worked in their favor as a Leidhold kill from Carias regained the lead, 14-12 halfway through the set. Back and forth action brought the score to 19-18 in favor of the Mountain Cats, but Sonuga tied up the contest on the next serve at 19 all with a kill. Pittsburgh responded by outscoring the Ravens 6-3 over the final possessions to take the second set 25-22.

A Hannah St. Jean (Olympia, Wash.) kill tied the third set at 4-4 in the early going, but FPU would outscore Pittsburgh 9-1 over the next few serves to take a commanding 13-5 lead. The Ravens held a 17-10 lead before the Mountain Cats clawed back into the duel with an 8-1 run to tie the set at 18 all. The Crimson and Grey managed only three more points the rest of the way as Pittsburgh tallied four straight points at the end to win the set 25-21 and take the match 3-0.

Game Two: Henderson State 3, Franklin Pierce 0 (17-25, 28-30, 13-25)

For the fourth straight contest, Katie Leidhold led the team in kills by chalking up 11 while also contributing five digs and a block. Senior captain Fabiola Garcon (Brockton, Mass.) added six kills and a game-high four total blocks. Brittney Carias led FPU on the defensive end with 11 digs.

Henderson State hit at a .290 clip in the match compared to FPU's .076 hitting percentage, but the crimson and grey were more active at the net than the Reddies combining for 13 total blocks to their counterparts six.

After the Reddies took the first set, set number two was a crazy back and forth affair that saw numerous lead changes and a tie at the 25th point. HSU jumped out to a 9-4 lead with an Adrianna Hartman kill before the Ravens came back to tie the set at nine each with Carias serving. Each squad held no more than a two point advantage until the Reddies took a three-point 24-21 lead off a Karma Jackson kill.

Led by two errors and a Sonuga kill, the Ravens tied the score at 24 all forcing HSU to take a time out. With the Ravens serving, a Sharon Tukuaoga kill put the Reddies back out in front, but a service error by Gabby Ginapp breathed new life into the Ravens chances.

The Ravens jumped out to a one point, 26-25 lead on a ball handing error by Adrianna Hartmann. Tukuaoga and Courtney Bolf responded with kills to regain the advantage for the Reddies, 28-27. Katie Leidhold took a set from Hannah Runge to tie up set at 28-28, but Jackson and Bolf recorded kills to take the set 30-28.

The final set was full of back and forth action, but the Reddies used a 5-0 scoring run midway through the set to take a 20-10 lead and eventually the set 25-13.

The Ravens head back to Rindge before departing to Wilmington University in Delaware for the Wildcat Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

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 athletic apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).