Wilmington, Del. (September 9, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce volleyball team earned their first victory of the season Friday evening during day one of the Wildcat Invitational hosted by Wilmington University. In the first contest, the crimson and grey swept through Holy Family 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-17) and dropped the nightcap 3-0 (19-25, 22-25, 20-25) to Bloomfield. The split moves the crimson and grey to 1-5.

Junior setter Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.) recorded her 2,000 career assist, setting up freshman Danielle Varricchio (Boynton Beach, Fla.) in the third set versus Bloomfield. Runge's 2,009 career helpers rank her fourth in program history and only 135 behind former Raven Bethany Findley (2000-03) for sole possession of third place on the all-time list.

Game One: Franklin Pierce 3, Holy Family 0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-17)

FPU dominated at the net racking up 15 total blocks to the Tigers one while holding the advantage in hitting percentage .162 to -.033.

In set one, the Ravens were in front for the first few serves as they built a 10-8 lead after a Tiger attack error. Holy family came back and took a two point, 14-12 advantage with a 6-2 scoring run using key service aces from Katelyn Scherber to put the Tigers ahead. Both squads battled through the remaining possessions keeping the set tight at 24 each. Holy Family then serviced the ball to Franklin Pierce which led to a Hannah St. Jean (Olympia, Wash.) kill. The Tigers wouldn't have the chance to return the next serve because Hannah Runge perfectly placed the ball near Kelly Bergen for a service ace to end the set.

The Ravens fell behind in the second set 5-3 thanks to a Chase Wassel kill. Over the middle portion of the set, FPU used a 12-3 binge to siege momentum and jump out to an 18-10 lead using a Fabiola Garcon (Brockton, Mass.) kill set up by Runge for the 18th point. The closest Holy Family would cut the deficit to would be seven points (22-15) with a service ace from Nicole Cripps as the Ravens took the second set 25-17.

Three consecutive kills by Katie Leidhold (Acushnet, Mass.) assisted by Runge pushed the crimson and grey's lead to 7-1 in the early going of the third set, but a Tiger rally cut down the Ravens lead to 9-7. After a Tiger attack error and with freshman Jocelyn Moody (Biddeford, Maine) serving, FPU rattled off four straight points to take a 15-7 lead. FPU kept piling on to open up an 11 point 23-12 advantage after a St. Jean kill. Holy Family scored five straight in their comeback effort to cut the lead to 23-17, but a service error and dual block by Garcon and St. Jean iced the match and gave the Ravens their first win of the season.

Sophomore middle hitter Abigail Sonuga (Haverhill, Mass.) led the Ravens offense with a match-high 10 kills, four total blocks and an insane .500 hitting percentage. Katie Leidhold added nine kills and 16 digs and Brittney Carias (Burlingame, Calif.) had a game-best 18 digs and four service aces. Hannah Runge led all players with 26 assists.

Game Two: Bloomfield 3, Franklin Pierce 0 (19-25, 22-25, 20-25)

Abigail Sonuga led the Ravens offense again with 10 kills, Hannah St. Jean added nine kills and a .438 hitting percentage. Katie Leidhold recorded a team high 15 digs and Hannah Runge racked up a season-best 30 assists including her 2,000 career helper.

Bloomfield started the first set outscoring FPU 4-1 after a Kali Viles kill. A service error and a Sonuga kill ensued which made it 4-3 Bloomfield. The Bears added two more points to the Ravens one to go up 6-4 before erupting for five straight points culminating with a Paola Noble service ace to go up 11-4. FPU responded with three consecutive points to cut their deficit to 11-7, but the Bears tallied six in a row to go up 17-7. A Nayade Paulino kill made it a nine point, 22-13 lead. FPU staged a comeback using four straight kills to make it 22-17. Bloomfield eventually got the last point on an Alex Glasper kill to take the set 25-19.

The Ravens jumped out to a 4-2 lead early on thanks to a Sonuga kill. Their advantage grew a few serves later when Brittney Carias unloaded a service ace to go up three, 8-5 in the opening stages. Both squads traded points midway through the set before an 8-1 run by the Bears put them in front 21-15. After a crimson and grey service error, the Ravens racked up five unanswered points including a Runge service ace to cut the deficit to 22-21. However the Bears hung on and won the set scoring three points to the Ravens one to end the set.

The final set began the same as the second with Franklin Pierce jumping out to a 6-3 lead courtesy of a Sonuga kill. Back and forth possessions ensued with a St. Jean kill knotting up the set at 13 all. Three Bears kills and a Raven attack error regained the advantage to Bloomfield 17-14 before the crimson and grey tied up the set again at 18 apiece with a Leidhold kill. The Bears outscored the Ravens 7-2 over the remainder of the set and won 25-20.

FPU returns to the court tomorrow for the second and final day of the Wildcat Invitational with a 12:00 p.m. duel versus Chestnut Hill and their final match of the invite at 4:00 p.m. against the host Wildcats.

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