NEW YORK – A fight all match long, Fordham University volleyball claimed a set three win Friday afternoon, but were outlasted in four sets by VCU at the Rose Hill Gym
The visitors would pull off a late rally to nab set one from Fordham, and would maintain a lead throughout the second frame to take a two sets to none lead. The Maroon and White would battle back with a dominant effort in the third set, pulling away early to double up VCU, before taking a 25-18 win to force a fourth set. In the fourth Fordham took the lead early ahead of a late surge by VCU to rally back and take the match in four sets.
Whitley Moody led the offense Friday afternoon with 14 kills and eight digs, while Audrey Brown would scatter eight kills and Zoe Talabong would tally five. Mackenzie Colvin would lead the assist column with 21 dimes, along with 12 from Whitney Woodrow, while Ryan Naumann would pace the receptions with 15 digs on the day.
After building a quick 6-2 lead in set one, Fordham leveled the score, keeping the rest of the frame close, as VCU traded point-for-point from there. Neither side would muster more than a two-point advantage from there, until Fordham pulled ahead 20-17 late, forcing a VCU timeout. The visitors rallied back to level the score at 20, but it would be Fordham pulling away towards set point, ahead of three straight points from VCU to steal set one 26-24.
Stretching a 7-1 advantage right out of the gates, VCU would control the majority of the second frame, with the visitors holding a 4-5 point lead throughout, on the way to a 25-20 win to go up two sets in the match.
A strong start to set three saw Fordham pull away for its biggest lead of the night early on, taking a 14-7 lead, and continued to dominate the rest of the way, and despite VCU gathering a handful of points late, the Maroon and White would take a 25-18 win to keep the match alive.
Fordham would pull away again in set four, holding a 14-10 lead, before a rally on the VCU side saw the visitors cut the deficit to one, eventually leveling the score at 20-all, and pulling away to take set four 25-21 to take the match in four sets.
Fordham will close the 2024 season tomorrow afternoon against VCU at 2:00 p.m. in the Rose Hill Gym. The Rams will honor four players prior to the match, with the ceremony slated to begin at 1:50 p.m.
