RINDGE, N.H. (November 6, 2021) – The Franklin Pierce University volleyball team celebrated the team's five-player senior class on Saturday with a pregame ceremony before the final home match of the season, against Northeast-10 Conference opponent Pace University. Junior Mariah Robles (West Covina, Calif.), junior Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I.), and senior Cierra Dolan (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) all recorded double-digit kills for the Ravens in a 3-0 win over the Setters (25-14, 25-19, 25-14).

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 12-10 (6-5 NE10), while Pace falls to 1-19 (0-12 NE10 and has lost 17 in a row.

The match opened with a 25-14 set win for the Ravens. After jumping to a 9-2 lead in the beginning of the set, Franklin Pierce kept the pressure on and opened it up to 16-6. The Setters closed the gap a little from there, but a pair of kills from Brandt and Dolan closed out the set.

The second set was a much more even affair. Franklin Pierce took the first point of the set, but nine lead changes between the two teams kept the score close throughout the entirety of the middle frame. Franklin Pierce led 22-19 before a kill from Robles, an attack error from the Setters, and a kill from junior Ingrid Lindstrom (Dudley, Mass.) finished off the set.

Now in position for a sweep, the Ravens came out firing in the third and final set of the afternoon. Franklin Pierce rattled off the first eight points on the way to a 15-1 lead, which all but put the match away. A seven-point run gave the Setters some life, but the Ravens would close out the set, 25-14, to finish off the sweep.

Brandt, Dolan and Robles all finished with 10 kills apiece, and Dolan hit a team-best .667 over 15 attempts. The offense ran off the set of senior Kennedy Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and sophomore Maddie Ward (Wolfeboro, N.H.), both of who finished with 17 assists. Brandt tied for the match lead with 12 digs, while Robles added 11, as both completed double-doubles.

On the other side of the net, sophomore Madison Lupica led Pace with six kills, as the Setters hit just .089 on the afternoon. Senior Leonarda Uljic dished out nine assists, while freshman Morgan Amos matched Brandt with 12 digs.

The Ravens are on the road for the final two matches of the season, as they visit Saint Anselm on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., and travel to Assumption on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m.