Volleyball Finishes Nonconference Schedule with Doubleheader Split on Saturday

Match One (pdf) | Match Two (pdf)

New York, N.Y. – The Fordham volleyball team's nonconference schedule is in the books. The Rams will head into Atlantic 10 play next weekend with an 8-5 record after a doubleheader split on Saturday to wrap up the Battle of the Big Apple, held at Columbia University. Fordham swept the Terriers of St. Francis Brooklyn before falling in four sets to LIU Brooklyn later in the afternoon.
 
"It was great seeing the team battle today for both matches. We have continued to be super competitive and our growth this non-conference schedule is exciting," said head coach Gini Ullery-Shrift, "We are back at 0-0 heading into our first weekend of conference play and our goal this week is to get healthy and ready to take on Davidson and VCU."

The Rams fended off St. Francis Brooklyn in match one, using two 25-23 sets to bookend a comfortable 25-14 second-set victory to nab its eighth win of the year, the most nonconference wins since 2012 and the first winning record prior to league play since 2009.
 
Sophomore Olivia Fairchild did a little of everything in the match, leading both teams with 13 kills, 12 digs, and five aces. It was her sixth double-double of the year. Junior Natalie Martinez added a season-high 11 kills, while Kaitlin Morley chipped in 10. Setters Maddy Walsh (21) and Sophia Plett (14) combined for 35 assists, and junior Olivia LaPorta continued her solid defensive play with a trio of blocks.
 
The tournament finale was a battle with the Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn, with Fordham grabbing a tight 27-25 first set before falling in the next frame by the opposite score. LIU Brooklyn held off the Rams in the third set, 25-21, before coasting to an easy 25-14 win to seal the match in set four.
 
Fairchild added a team-high 10 kills and matched her career-high, set earlier this season against Southeast Missouri State, with six aces. The sophomore totaled 11 on the day to up her season tally from 13 to 24 in just a few hours. Morley and Martinez added nine and seven kills, respectively. LaPorta contributed another three blocks, as well, with Fairchild doing the same, while Walsh assisted on 20 points. Senior captain Emily Fronk saw her first action of the campaign and notched 15 assists over her four sets. Sophomore libero tallied 16 digs, followed by Morley's nine.
 
The Rams are up to 102 aces on the season, maintaining their status as one of the top program's in the country in that area.
 
Fordham begins conference play next weekend with its final two matches of the current eight-match road swing, by traveling to Davidson and VCU next Friday and Sunday, respectively. The match against the Wildcats is set for 7 p.m.