RIDNGE, N.H. (October 27, 2017) – Trailing 2-1 and clinging to a 17-15 lead in the fourth set, a switch suddenly flipped for the Franklin Pierce University volleyball team on Friday night in the Fieldhouse . The Ravens ran off eight of the final nine points of the set and then never trailed in the decisive fifth set, as they rallied past Assumption for a 3-2 win in Northeast-10 Conference play. Senior middle Hannah St. Jean (Olympia, Wash.) thumped away 17 kills, hit .429 and added six blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Danielle Varricchio (Boynton Beach, Fla.) went for a 15-kill, 28-dig double-double to lead the way for Franklin Pierce.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-15 (4-5 NE10), while Assumption falls to 5-15 (3-8 NE10). Assumption took the first set, 25-21, before Franklin Pierce answered with a 25-20 win in the second set. Assumption won the third set, 25-22, but again Franklin Pierce answered, this time at 25-16. The Ravens then broke the pattern and took the fifth set, 15-9.

The run which seemed to change the tone of the match came deep into the fourth set, on the serve of sophomore middle Abigail Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who took the ball with a 17-15 lead and the Ravens in need of a set win to prolong the match. Franklin Pierce rattled off seven straight points on Garnhart's serve to push all the way to set point. Garnhart provided a pair of aces in the run, while St. Jean added two kills and a solo block. After Assumption cut the gap to 24-16, a service error by senior middle Olivia Burke gave the Ravens the set, 25-16.

Franklin Pierce would proceed to never trail in the fifth set. Things stayed tight into the middle portion of the set, with the Ravens holding a one-point margin at 6-5. Garnhart put away a kill which made it 7-5 and returned service to the Franklin Pierce side of the net. Behind the serve of senior setter Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.), the Ravens then ran off three straight points, capped by a kill from freshman outside hitter Ofeira Petaia (Honolulu, Hawaii) to jump to a 10-5 lead and take control of the match. Assumption would never get closer than 11-7, and the Ravens eventually took the final set, 15-9, with match point coming fittingly via a kill from St. Jean.

St. Jean led four Ravens in double digits in kills, and posted match highs in kills (17), hitting percentage (.429) and blocks (6). Varricchio followed with 15 kills and hit .243, while junior outside hitter Brittney Carias (Burlingame, Calif.) finished at .265 with 11 kills. Petaia added 11 kills from the outside as well, with a .139 hitting percentage. Runge dished out 54 assists, just one shy of her career high.

Varricchio led five Ravens in double digits defensively, with her match-best 28 digs. Runge and sophomore libero Jocelyn Moody (Biddeford, Maine) added 19 digs each, Carias contributed 17 more and Petaia tacked on 11 of her own. St. Jean came up with five solo blocks on the day to lead the defensive efforts at the net.

For Assumption, senior outside hitter Julia Goyette was the only player in double digits, with 15 kills, though she hit just .163 while doing so. Junior outside hitter Kellie Smith, Burke and freshman outside hitter Ariana Orcera added nine kills apiece, with Orcera leading the way among the trio at .217. Senior setter Kiki Romanik contributed 41 assists.

Sophomore libero Brenna Chrisom led the Greyhounds' defensive efforts with 23 digs, while Smith (17 digs) and Romanik (13 digs) joined her in double figures. Burke added five blocks on the night (one solo).

Franklin Pierce outhit Assumption by a margin of .253 to .140 on Friday, and the Ravens hammered out 68 kills, to just 54 for the Greyhounds. Assumption made up the difference with more service aces, a cleaner service game all-around, and fewer ball-handling errors, which -- combined with the sequencing of events -- allowed the Greyhounds to take a 2-1 lead and the match to eventually extend to five sets, despite the offensive disparity.

The Ravens return to the court on Tuesday, Oct. 31, when they remain home to host Saint Anselm in an NE10 match. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in the Fieldhouse.

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).