RINDGE, N.H. (October 9, 2021) – The Franklin Pierce University volleyball team fell 3-2 (25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 18-20) to Stonehill College at the Field House on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Hannah Hillis (San Clemente, Calif.) led the team with 11 of the Ravens 39 kills. Senior Kennedy Garnhart (Colorado Springs, Colo.) tallied a team-high 20 assists, while sophomore Maddie Ward (Wolfeboro, N.H.) registered 16 assists of her own. Sophomore Morgan Schmutzler (Lockport, Ill.) recorded 17 digs on the day, followed by junior Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I.) with 15 and Hillis with 14. Garnhart, senior Danielle Schultz (Islip, N.Y.), Brandt and Schmutzler all totaled two aces each.

The Ravens controlled the first set, jumping to an 10-7 lead. The Skyhawks closed the gap to 10-9 after collecting two straight points. Franklin Pierce and Stonehill traded points, with FPU maintain the lead. The Crimson and Grey totaled four consecutive points to extend their lead to 20-14. Stonehill earned a few more points, but the Ravens went on to secure the set point and win 25-17.   

In the second set, the Skyhawks took the lead to start, but the Ravens were able to tie it up 4-4. Trading points, the two teams knotted it back up at 7-7. Franklin Pierce went on a 4-2 run, before Stonehill grabbed five straight points to close the gap 13-4. Five consecutive points went the Ravens way to push ahead 18-14. The two programs went back-and-forth in points, but the Skyhawks were unable to take a lead and FPU won 25-22.

After being down 6-3, Franklin Pierce notched the next four points to make it a 7-6 set. A few more ties occurred, eventually knotting it up at 12-12. The Skyhawks went on a 13-7 run, to pull ahead and notched the set point on a Ravens attack error to win 25-19 in the third.

Franklin Pierce had an early 9-7 lead to start the fourth set, but five straight points for the Skyhawks allowed them to lead 12-9. The Ravens regained the lead off four consecutive points to make it a 15-13 set. Stonehill eventually notched five straight points to lead 19-16, and again to finish the set, grabbing six straight to win 25-18.

The fifth set saw the Ravens take an 8-4 lead. Stonehill earned four points to make it 8-8, but Franklin Pierce went on its own 4-0 run to lead again, 12-8. A few more points went Stonehill's way with the score eventually knotted up at 13 apiece. Franklin Pierce and Stonehill tied the score up five more times, before the Skyhawks took the final two points to win the match 20-18.

The Crimson and Grey will travel to Bridgeport, Conn., to take on the Bridgeport Purple Knights on Friday, October 15. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. start.