NEW YORK – In a closely contested battle for much of the afternoon Saturday, Fordham University Volleyball defeated Seton Hall 3-1 on day two of the Rose Hill Classic.
Taking the lead from the get go, Fordham would push as much as a six-point advantage on the way to a five-point win in set one to open the evening. A neck-and-neck second stanza would see neither side garner more than a three point lead at any point, with the Rams squeezing out a two-point win to take a commanding lead in the match.
Another tightly contested set would see the Pirates counter with a narrow victory to keep the evening rolling, taking the frame, 25-23. The fourth set would remain as close as the previous two, taking as much as a five-point lead, but would see the Rams rally back to pull ahead and take the win in four sets.
Saturday's victory marks the first win over a BIG EAST opponent since defeating Georgetown in five sets at what was the 14th Edition of the Rose Hill Classic on Sept. 4, 2015.
Audrey Brown would pace the offense Saturday with 17 kills, as one of three players in double-figures, along with Whitley Moody who had 15, and Lauryn Sweeney with 10 hammers. Whitney Woodrow would tally 42 assists along with a team-high 17 digs, recording a double-double alongside Moody who finished with 14 digs and also had five total blocks on defense.
Fordham would tally the first four points of the match to take the lead from the start, fighting off a Seton Hall rally a short while later to keep the lead and push further.
The second frame of action saw the two sides duke it out the entire way, staying within two points of each other for most of the set. Still tied through 21-all, Fordham would pull away in the closing stages to take a 25-23 win and go up 2-0 in the match.
Continuing to hold one another close in the third, Fordham would take a slim lead early, but the Pirates forced their way back as the set progressed, escaping with two point victory in set three to keep their match alive.
Another emphatic set four would see the teams continue to keep things tight, with Seton Hall taking the biggest lead of the set at five points midway through. From there, the Rams would draw level at 18-all and took the lead, pulling away down the stretch for a three point victory to take the match in four.
Fordham will continue a stretch of four straight home games this weekend, when they open Atlantic 10 Conference play against Saint Louis with a pair of matches at the Rose Hill Gym Sept. 27-28.
