Jersey City, NJ (September 4) – The FDU-Florham volleyball team split its matches today against Bryn Mawr College and New Jersey City University in a tri-match hosted by the Gothic Knights. The Devils swept Bryn Mawr (25-14, 25-5, 25-22) in the first match, but fell in four sets to New Jersey City (26-28, 25-14, 21-25, 16-25). With the split, the Devils moved to 2-1 on the young season.
FDU vs. Bryn Mawr:
- In the opening match, FDU hit .301 as a team and was led offensively by Adrienne DeFuria (Randolph, NJ) who posted 13 kills on 33 swings to go along with a trio of aces, while Charlotte Fruscione (Mahwah, NJ) hit at a .458 clip with 11 kills on 24 attempts and three aces of her own. Alexis Tamburello (Toms River, NJ) tallied a match-high 16 digs, while Erin Ahart (Kennelon, NJ)notched a match-high 18 assists.
- In the first set, FDU went ahead by a 12-4 score before Bryn Mawr climbed back in and cut its deficit to four at 14-10. The Devils never backed down however as they used a 10-3 run late in the stanza to put it away by a 25-14 final.
- In the second, FDU scored nine of the set's first ten points. Up 15-5, FDU scored the final ten points on three aces by Kiara Salme (Lyndhurst, NJ), two kills by Fruscione, an ace by DeFuria and three errors by Bryn Mawr.
- Bryn Mawr took control early on in the third set and jumped out to an 8-3 lead. FDU used a 9-2 spurt to take a 12-10 edge midway through. FDU trailed once again at 20-17 late in the set, but scored six straight points capped by an ace by DeFuria to go ahead for good 23-20 before taking the third 25-22.
FDU vs. NJCU:
- In the nightcap, the Devils were led by Fruscione who had 13 kills on 33 swings and eight digs on the defensive side of the ball.
- The first set saw FDU jump out to a 7-2 lead but NJCU climbed back in an eventually tied the set at 24-24. The Devils had set point after a kill by DeFuira however NJCU used a pair of kills and an assisted block to win the first 28-26.
- FDU led the second set from start to finish and tied the match at one with a 25-14 victory. The Devils once again jumped out to a big 7-2 lead and this time they didn't relinquish their advantage. FDU led by as many as ten on three different occasions and Jada Everett (Hackensack, NJ) swung for a kill on the final point of the set.
- Knotted at 15-15 in the third, NJCU used a 4-1 run to retake a lead it never gave back as the Gothic Knights went ahead 2-1 in the match with a 25-21 win.
- Much like the third, the first half of the fourth set was back and forth until the match was knotted at 14-14. NJCU ripped off 11 of the final 13 points of the set and the match to win the fourth 25-16 and the match 3-1.
FDU-Florham will open Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play on Wednesday when the Devils travel to Lycoming for a 7:00 pm match.
