Sept. 28, 2012

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham volleyball team returns to conference action on Friday night, when the Rams host the Charlotte 49ers in a very important Atlantic 10 match-up. Both squads look to snap losing skids, as the Rams have lost back-to-back matches, while the 49ers have lost their last three matches.

LIVE COVERAGE: GameTracker

LAST TIME OUT: St. Francis' Naomi Flinders registered a triple-double to go with 12 team blocks by the Terriers, as St. Francis upended the Fordham Rams in five sets at the Rose Hill Gym on Tuesday night. Final set scores were 19-25, 25-19, 27-25, 21-25, and 15-8.

The two teams split the first two sets with each earning a 25-19 set win. The momentum shifted in the third set, as Fordham earned set point at 24-20 on a kill by Brianna O'Neil. However, the Terriers held off four set points by the Rams and then posted a service ace to earn their own set point at 25-24. After a kill by Brennan Delsing tied the score at 25, the Terriers got back-to-back kills from Leah Zitting and Jayma Copeland to win the set, 27-25.

Fordham fought its way back in set four, as O'Neil netted five kills and a block, leading the Rams to a 25-21 set win to force a deciding set.

Unfortunately, the fifth set was all St. Francis, as the Terriers hit .368 as a team to wrap up a 15-8 set win and take the match in five sets.

For Fordham, Lisa Hipp led the way with 16 kills, 14 digs, and three aces, while O'Neil had 14 kills, 10 digs, and three blocks. Delsing also had a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs, as did Sara Konkel with 38 assists and 15 digs. Defensively, Maria Rodenberg tied a career-high with 25 digs with Krissy Buongiorno having six blocks to go with nine kills.

MILESTONES: Recently, three Rams, Lisa Hipp, Maria Rodenberg, and Randi Ewing hit career milestones. Hipp recorded her 500th career kill at La Salle on Friday, while Maria Rodenberg reached 700 career digs in Saturday's match at Temple. Ewing continues to climb the career blocks list, moving into a tie for seventh all-time with Amy Murphy at 271 total blocks.

ALL-TOURNAMENT SELECTIONS: During non-conference play, a number of Rams' received All-Tournament honors from various tournaments. Below is a list of this year's award winners:

Lisa Hipp - B.C. Invitational, Volley in the Valley
Brianna O'Neill - Volley in the Valley
Maria Rodenberg - Rose Hill Classic
Randi Ewing - Bucknell Invitational
Brennan Delsing - Bucknell Invitational

WHO'S NEXT: The Fordham volleyball team will next be in action at home on Sunday, September 30th, when the Rams host the VCU Rams, beginning at 1:00 PM in the Rose Hill Gym.