LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College Women's Volleyball team was eliminated in the first round of the Centennial Conference Tournament by Franklin & Marshall in straight sets (25-17, 25-22, 25-21)  on Wednesday night.
 
 
The Bears conclude its season with a 14-11 overall record while earning its first Centennial Conference Tournament berth in program history. The Diplomats will now face Swarthmore in the Centennial Conference Semifinals on Friday night.
 
 
Senior Caroline Sherman wrapped up a decorated career at Ursinus with a team-high nine kills while adding three digs and two aces. Senior Emma Illovsky finished with 10 digs and classmate Rachel Bernard paced the offense with 12 assists while adding digs.
 
 
Franklin & Marshall started fast by going up 6-2 in the first set and stretched its lead out to 10-5. Ursinus won three of the next four points to get within 11-8, but the Diplomats responded by taking seven of the next nine points to go up 18-10. Ursinus would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as the Diplomats took the first set 25-17.
 
 
The Diplomats won the first two points of the second set and took the early advantage by going up 9-4. However, the Bears made a big charge at Franklin & Marshall by winning 10 of the next 12 points to take their largest lead of the match at 14-11. Ursinus led 15-12 before the Diplomats won three straight points to tie it up at 15. The Bears countered with back-to-back points to go up 17-15, but the Diplomats answered by taking eight of the next 11 points and took a 23-20 lead. Ursinus won two straight points to get within one at 23-22 before F&M closed the set out by taking the next two points.
 
 
Ursinus won three straight points to go up 3-1 in the third set and worked its advantage out to 8-5 to reach its largest lead of the match. However, the Diplomats won five straight points to go up 10-8. Ursinus tied the set twice at 11 and 12 before the Diplomats seized control with five straight points to go up 17-12. The Bears got within three points on three occasions, the latest being 24-21 until the Diplomats closed the match out with a kill.