TEANECK, N.J. – Playing a thrilling five sets of action for the second day in a row, Fordham University Volleyball remained strong in the final set to take the win over the host Knights.
Fordham would take the lead out of the gates and maintain it to the midway portion of set one, before a pair of challenges by the home side helped them draw level, and eventually take the first set by six. The Rams would bounce back with a strong showing in the second frame, taking it by 11-points to level the match and cut it down to a best-of-three.
Pulling away again in set three the Rams would take as much as a seven point lead throughout as they took a 2-1 lead in the match with a six point victory. FDU would stay close with Fordham in the fourth, before pulling away late to force the Rams into a fifth set. The Maroon and White would take the lead late in the final set, and used a successful challenge to claim the winning point in a thriller Friday night.
Fordham as a team would tally their most blocks of the season with 14.0, including two solos and 24 block assists, and slammed 54 kills off 51 assists while hitting .253 collectively.
Whitley Moody would lead the way with 15 kills and 17 digs, hitting .308 for her fifth consecutive double-double, one of three Rams to notch a twin-scoreline on the night. Tatum Holderied would tally a new career high with 10 kills, and record 10 total blocks with two solos and eight assists, while Whitney Woodrow would dish out 38 assists and collect 14 digs.
Audrey Brown would finish with 13 kills, and Ryan Naumann would lead the Rams with a season high 21 kills, with the pair named to the All-Tournament team for their performances in a pair of matches this weekend at the FDU Invitational Presented by Hilton of Hasbrouck Heights.
Starting the match off strong, the Rams tallied five of the first six points and used that early momentum to hold the lead as the first set rolled on. Helped in part by a pair of successful challenges, the Knights would draw level at 16-all, shifting the momentum as FDU pulled away from there to take a 25-19 win in the opening frame.
Pulling out to a 10-3 lead to start set two, the Rams would hold strong throughout the second set, taking a double-digit lead late and cruising to a 25-14 victory, while vastly improving their attack percentage for the night, hitting .318 in the second period of action.
Taking control early once again, Fordham would trade the first 10 points of the set five-a-side, before stretching a 12-7 lead midway through. Extending that advantage to as much as seven points later in the set, Fordham tack on the final few points to take a 25-19 win and go up 2-1 in the match.
The two sides would keep things much closer in the fourth, with neither leading by more than three points for much of the set. FDU would take a five-point lead late, and held off the Rams to force a fifth set with a 25-20 win in set four.
Even through six-all in the final stage, Fordham would pull away with an 11-7 advantage and stave off a last minute rally by the Knights, with a successful challenge by Coach Ian Choi flipping the final point to give the Rams the win.
Fordham Volleyball heads home to the friendly confines of the Rose Hill Gymnasium for the first time this season Friday, Sept. 20 when they welcome Binghamton to The Bronx for Day One of the Rose Hill Classic. First serve in the first of four match homestand is slated for 3:00 p.m. and available on ESPN+.
