CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The FDU-Florham volleyball team battled DeSales University in the MAC Freedom Tournament Semifinals but ultimately came up short 3-2 (27-25, 22-25, 26-24, 18-25, 15-17) in a five-set thriller on Wednesday night at Biller Hall.

The Devils (21-15) held a 2-1 lead entering the fourth set but the Bulldogs (22-10) fought back with a seven-point win and forced a fifth frame. 

In the decisive fifth set, the Devils again held a lead, 7-3, before the Bulldogs came storming back to take the lead. Facing match point, 10-14, the Devils showed resilience by staving off elimination and rallying with five-straight points of their own to take a 15-14 edge. But the Bulldogs earned a match-saving side-out before the team's key server Laura Greenberg subbed in and closed out the match with back-to-back aces.

The two teams met earlier this season in Center Valley and the Bulldogs also prevailed with a five-set victory in that match. 

Freshman Lauren Harris clocked a match-best 20 kills for FDU-Florham in the loss. Sophomore setter Codi Inloes-Williams recorded a double-double with 22 assists and 21 digs, while junior libero Alex Mueller added 23 digs on the night.

The Bulldogs were led by the trio of Gabby Savite, Logan Wieziolowski, and Kait Anderson, who each totaled 18 kills in the victory. The team's setter Lisa Wallitsch handed out 67 assists, which is a school record for DeSales.

With the win, the Bulldogs advance to take on top-seeded Eastern University this Saturday, November 4, while the Devils will now await a potential Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) bid.