Box Score Nov. 19, 2010
Box Score
Cincinnati, Ohio -
With four players in double digits for kills, the Fordham volleyball team gave the Duquesne Dukes all they could handle in their opening round match at the 2010 Atlantic 10 Championship at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, Sara Scheirman totaled 20 kills and 13 digs, while Nicole Wright had 17 kills, as the Dukes edged the Rams in five sets. Final set scores were 22-25, 25-22, 25-20, 17-25, and 15-12.
The loss ends Fordham's season at 17-18 overall, while Duquesne improved to 23-9 and advances to play top seeded Dayton on Saturday at the championship. This was the first time Fordham has gone to five sets in a match at the Atlantic 10 Championship.
The two teams were evenly matched all night long, and began with a first set that saw 14 tie scores and four lead changes. The last tie was at 22 all, before Fordham regained the lead on a Christi Griffiths' kill at 23-22. Duquesne then hit two balls long for errors, giving Fordham the opening set, 25-22.
Fordham continued to roll at the start of set two, opening with six of the first seven points, which was highlighted by a pair of Randi Ewing blocks. Duquesne then went on its own run, netting six straight points for a 7-6 lead, capped by a Nicole Wright kill. The score remained tight until at 16 all, Duquesne pushed ahead, 19-16, behind a pair of blocks by Liz Homan and a kill by Sara Scheirman. Fordham got back within one at 21-20 on an ace by Brittany Daulton, but Duquesne would not relinquish the lead, taking the second set, 25-22.
Set three saw another good start for Fordham, as the Rams jetted out to a 7-2 lead. With Fordham still elading by two at 11-9, the Dukes netted five straight points, capped by an Allison Foschia kill to take a 14-11 edge. The Rams eventually got back within one, 20-19 on a block by Ewing and Katie Wells, however, Duquesne closed the set with five of the next six points to win the third set, 25-20.
Fordham wouldn't go away quietly in set four, as Fordham led by four, 15-11, midway through the set. Fordham extended that lead to as many as seven on a kill by Mary Diamantidis to earn set point at 24-17. Griffiths then forced a deciding set with a service ace at 25-17.
The final set had eight tie scores with Fordham holding an 8-7 edge on the change over. After a pair of side outs, a Duquesne hit looked to be going long, but the ball hit a Fordham player to tie the set at nine. The teams continued to exchange points until it was 12 all following a Diamantidis kill. Duquesne recaptured a one-point lead on a Scheirman kill, and then earned match point on a block by Wright and Ashley Buse. Wright then finished the match with a kill to end the Rams' season.
For Fordham, Wells led the attack with 15 kills and three blocks with Daulton posting a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Kailee May added 10 kills, nine digs and three blocks with Griffiths chipping in 10 kills, five blocks, and four digs. Diamantidis ended the night with 46 assists, 10 digs, four blocks and four kills with Ewing totaling six blocks and three kills. Defensively, Maria Rodenberg had a team-high 16 digs, while Sara Friede had nine digs and three assists.
