WEST CHESTER, Pa. (September 2, 2017) – After a 1-1 start to the 2017 campaign yesterday, the Franklin Pierce University volleyball team returned to action at Ramfest 2017 Saturday on the campus of West Chester University. FPU took home the victory in their first match of the afternoon defeating Goldey-Beacom College 3-1 (19-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-22), but fell in the second game 3-0 at the hands of Millersville University (22-25, 18-25, 15-25). The Ravens record stayed even at 2-2 through the opening four contests.

Sophomore outside hitter Danielle Varricchio (Boynton Beach, Fla.) paced the Ravens attack once again as she tallied 16 kills, 28 digs and two total blocks across both duels. Team captain Hannah St. Jean (Olympia, Wash.) racked up 13 kills, seven total blocks and two digs. Sophomore middle blocker Abigail Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added 11 kills, a .333 hitting percentage, four digs and four total blocks.

On the defensive end, junior defensive specialist Brittney Carias (Burlingame, Calif.) matched Varricchio with a team-high 28 digs. Jocelyn Moody (Biddeford, Maine) and senior setter Hannah Runge (Deltona, Fla.) chipped in 22 digs apiece while freshman Ofeira Petaia (Honolulu, Hawaii) recorded 20 digs.

Hannah Runge also set a new career-high with 11 service aces in the game one victory versus Goldey-Beacom. Runge's 11 aces were the second most during a single game in program history as she passed Natasha Ray's mark of nine set at Bridgeport on September 28, 2012. The all-time record is 14 which was set by Mandy Johnson at Rivier on October 3, 2002.

Game One: Franklin Pierce 3, Goldey-Beacom 1 (19-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-22)

Goldey-Beacom were victorious in set number one as they rallied from two separate four point deficits early on. With the Ravens leading 6-2 following a Varricchio kill, the Lightning struck quick tallying six straight markers which included two consecutive service aces from Morgan Andrews to push GB ahead 8-6. The Ravens eventually tied the set on a dual block of Breanne Haley by freshman outside hitter Sam Bitner (Titusville, Fla.) and Abigail Garnhart. Following the block, the Lightning racked up five in a row to take a 13-8 advantage. The Goldey-Beacom lead eventually grew to seven at 19-12 on a Jax Babezki kill. The Ravens kept the first set close by cutting their opponents lead to three, 22-19 on a Moody ace, but GB racked up the final three points to take their only set of the match.

With the crimson and grey trailing in set two 5-4, Garnhart knotted the duel at five all after killing a set from Hannah Runge. Runge took service following the kill and rattled off five consecutive aces to push the Ravens ahead 10-5. Franklin Pierce would outscore their counterparts 15-5 over the final possessions of the set as they won set two 25-10.

The Lightning held an 11-5 lead midway through the third set. They upped their lead to 17-11 following a Raven attack error. Knowing that they had to go on a run, FPU captured momentum and rattled off 10 points in a row as Runge recorded three more service aces over that 10 point stretch to move the Ravens ahead 21-17. GB responded with three straight markers to make it a one point game. Bitner and Runge teamed up on a stuff of Makinsie Balderson to push the Ravens to the brink of a third set win. Brittney Carias dished out an assist to Varricchio who completed the third set comeback as the Ravens took the crucial third set and a 2-1 match lead.

GB again held an early lead in the fourth set before Franklin Pierce recaptured the lead midway through with four straight points to move ahead 10-8. The Lightning came within one 12-11 due to a Raven attack error. Both teams kept swapping points back and forth until another Raven attack error tied things up at 20 all. Two errors by Goldey-Beacom pushed the Ravens back in front 22-20 until a Breanne Haley kill made the score 22-21. Varricchio and Runge put the Ravens on the brink of victory with a kill and ace, but the potential match point was squandered due to an attack error. With a two point lead, the Ravens put the match on ice as Garnhart chipped in her fifth kill of the contest.

Varricchio led the way with 12 kills, 14 digs and one block. Garnhart added five kills, three digs and three total blocks. Moody recorded four kills, 12 digs and four service aces while Runge had two kills, 23 assists, 15 digs and two blocks to go with her 11 aces.

Game Two: Millersville 3, Franklin Pierce 0 (22-25, 18-25, 15-25)

Hannah St. Jean recorded a team-high nine kills in the setback while adding five total blocks and a .444 hitting percentage. Abigail Garnhart chipped in six kills on eight attacks (.750 %) to go with one dig and a stuff. Danielle Varricchio had a squad-best 14 digs and Hannah Runge handed out 14 assists.

The Ravens held the advantage at the nets as they outblocked the Marauders 10 to five, but Millersville outhit Franklin Pierce .263 to .114 over the course of the match.

Franklin Pierce vaulted ahead early as they were up 3-0 due to a St. Jean kill, a Bitner and St. Jean block and an attack error. Possessions were swapped as the lead was traded a few times until the Ravens, down 13-10 went on a 5-0 mini-run with Carias serving to push FPU ahead 15-13 which led the Marauders to take a timeout. Following the stoppage, a Moody kill from Runge gave the Ravens their biggest lead in the first set at 18-14. The momentum turned in Millersville favor as they moved ahead 21-19 due to a 7-1 binge which was capped off by a Kelsi Ceriani kill. The Ravens would come within one at 23-22 after a service error, but the Marauders charged toward the finish line of set one using two consecutive kills from Erin Harman.

In the second set, the Ravens were ahead 5-4 following a Garnhart kill. Millersville would take control of the set and match by outscoring the crimson and grey 11-1 over the next couple of possessions to hold a 15-6 advantage. Franklin Pierce would cut the Marauder lead to five three times, but couldn't get any closer as Millersville took the second set 25-18.

With Millersville holding a 2-0 set lead, the Ravens needed to make something happen soon to get back into the match. In the opening of the third set, Franklin Pierce scored four straight to begin the set using two Carias aces and two St. Jean kills as FPU held a 4-0 lead. Trailing 5-1, Millersville jumped in front 9-5 on a Raven attack error. The Ravens came within three at 13-10 after a Garnhart kill, but five consecutive from Millersville with Courtney Turocy serving put the Marauders ahead 18-10. Freshman Mary Pease (East Haddam, Conn.) set up Garnhart for a kill which made it a seven point 22-15 contest, but that was the last point the Ravens could muster as Millersville took the set and the match 3-0.

The Ravens will return to the court next weekend when they travel to Wilmington University for the Wildcat Invitational. FPU opens the invite on Friday with a doubleheader against Holy Family at 3:00 p.m. and the night cap versus Philadelphia University at 7:00 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).