BRONX, N.Y. -- The Fordham women's volleyball team dropped a very competitive match to second-place Saint Louis in three sets Friday night inside the Rose Hill Gym, as the visitors won by scores of 25-22, 25-13 and 25-23. With the loss, the Rams fall to 8-19 (2-8 A-10) on the season, while the Billikens improve to 19-7 (8-2 A-10).
Freshman
Breanna Jones led the offense with 10 kills and added eight digs on defense. Senior
Brianna O'Neil chipped in eight kills, sophomore
Emily Fronk dished out 25 assists, and fellow classmate
Grace Muller recorded a career-best three service aces to go along with six digs. The defense was led by
Brennan Delsing's 12 digs and junior
Kristen Ostach's four total blocks.
Trailing 5-3 to start the opening set, Fordham rattled of five straight, with Muller recording all of her aces and Fronk setting up Jones for a kill, which produced an 8-5 advantage.
Still leading by three at 11-8, the Rams saw their lead evaporate when Saint Louis tallied five of the next seven points to tie the set at 13-13. The two sides went back-and-forth with three more ties until the Billikens tallied three in a row and four of five to take the lead for good at 20-17.
Fordham climbed back to within two four more times, but it was not enough, as Saint Louis hung on for the 25-22 victory to take a 1-0 lead.
The second set saw the Billikens break away from a 2-2 tie with eight in a row to start a 12-2 run that moved the visitors in front by a score of 14-4. The Rams were never able to muster any sort of a comeback, which resulted in Saint Louis cruising to the 25-13 victory and a 2-0 lead.
Seven ties took place over the first 14 points of the third set, before Fordham scored four out of five to take a 10-8 lead. After the Billikens answered with four out of five of their own to retake the lead, the Rams moved back in front, 13-12.
After four more ties, the Rams increased their lead back out to two at 18-16 when O'Neil delivered a kill. The lead then vanished when Saint Louis scored the next five for a 21-18 lead. Still trailing by three at 23-20, Fordham took advantage of three consecutive errors from the Billikens to tie the set at 23-23, before the visitors tallied the final two points to clinch the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.
The Rams return to action Halloween night at 7 p.m. when they welcome first-place Dayton inside the Rose Hill Gym.
