NEWARK, Del. (September 11, 2021)– The Franklin Pierce University Volleyball team took to the court on Saturday afternoon to close out the weekend against Jefferson at the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Wilmington (Del.) at the WU Athletics Complex. Despite a team high eight kills from junior Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I), the Rams closed out the match in three straight sets for a final score of 3-0.

With the loss Franklin Pierce falls to 4-3 and finished the invitational 2-1, while Jefferson improves to 8-0 with a perfect 3-0 record in Newark.

The match opened with a 25-21 set win for the Rams. The Ravens took the lead early amounting a set high 6-2 differential and held it until leading 21-18 later in the set. Jefferson would go on to collect seven straight points including a pair of service aces.

Jefferson picked up the second point of the match with a close 25-22 win in the second set. The Ravens, once again, started the set strong leading 6-1, but quickly lost the lead after eight straight points from the Rams. The Crimson and Grey brought the score within two late in the set trailing 22-24, before Jefferson took the final point of the set.

With a 2-0 lead in the match, Jefferson closed it out with the largest point margin of the afternoon, 25-19, to earn the 3-0 sweep. The set opened with back-and-forth play between the two squads, but the Rams would take the lead and wouldn't look back to close the tournament.

Freshman Hannah Hillis (San Clemente, Calif.) was named to the All-Tournament Team at the invitational after amassing 35 kills on the weekend, as well as tallying 45 digs, eight aces and five blocks.

Franklin Pierce heads back to the Northeast to take on Southern Connecticut State University on the road in New Haven, Conn., on Friday September 17.