COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus Volleyball team dropped a tough five set match (25-23,19-25, 28-26,19-25, 9-15) to Franklin & Marshall on Wednesday night in Centennial Conference action at Helfferich Hall.
Junior Caroline Sherman led the Bears with a team-high 15 kills and completed a double-double with 11 digs. Sophomore Mel Eglinton posted eight kills and 11 digs while sophomore Erin Dychdala led the Bears with 19 digs and 16 assists.
The Bears gained the early advantage in the first set and took an early 5-1 lead. Ursinus continued to hold their lead as they worked it out to an 11-7 edge moving through the first set. The Diplomats chipped away multiple times at the Bears advantage, but Ursinus had answers for any extended Franklin & Marshall run. The Diplomats tied the set three times and could not wrangle the lead away from a strong opening by the Bears as they pulled through to win the set. Ursinus dug deep when the Diplomats got within one point at 23-22 by trading points to win 25-23, capped off by a kill from Sherman.
It was the Diplomats that started fast in the second set by taking the first four points and eventually extending their advantage to 8-2. The Bears battled back by winning six of the next seven points to get within one point at 9-8 before eventually tying the set at 11-11. However, the Diplomats won seven of the next eight points to go up 18-12. Ursinus only got within four points the rest of the set as Franklin & Marshall leveled the match at one.
The teams went back and forth to start the third set with four ties and three lead changes which eventually led to the Bears going up 9-7. The competitive set continued as neither team was able to take the lead by more than three points until the Bears went up 17-14. Ursinus responded to three straight Diplomat points by taking five of six points to go up 22-18 while forcing a Diplomat timeout. However, the Diplomats rallied by winning seven of the next eight points to go up 24-23. The extra point battle began as the Bears staved off set point three times. Ursinus finally broke through with the set tied at 26 with a kill by first-year Daejah Bazemore and an ace by Sherman to go up 2-1 in the match. It was the first time since 1988 that the Bears had won at least two sets from Franklin & Marshall.
Ursinus continued momentum into the fourth set as they won the first four points and stretched their lead to 7-2. The Diplomats won four-straight points to make it a one-point game at 7-6 until the Bears won four of the next six points to go up 11-8. Ursinus led 13-11 before the tide of the match began to turn when the Diplomats won nine of the next 11 points to take a 20-16 lead. The Diplomats forced a fifth set by closing out the set by winning five of the next eight points.
The Bears went ahead 2-1 in the fifth set before three straight points from the Diplomats put them up 4-2. Ursinus tied the set at five but did not get the lead back for the rest of the set. Franklin & Marshall used a decisive run by taking eight of the next 10 points to go up 13-7. Ursinus got within five points at 14-9 before a kill from the Diplomats setter ended the set and match.
Gianna Mangiamele led the Diplomats with a game-high 19 kills and seven blocks to help lead a dominant effort of 13 blocks as a team. Coco Shultz added 13 kills, 18 digs, and three aces while Lia Perez paced the offense with 39 assists while posting 15 digs.
Ursinus returns to action on Saturday, October 21st as they will travel to face Gettysburg at 1:00 p.m.
