FAIRFIELD, Conn- With a trip to the NEC Championship match on the line, #2 FDU met #3 Saint Francis (PA) in the semifinal at the William H. Pitt Center on Friday afternoon. The Knights were able to avenge two regular season losses to the Red Flash and advance to the final with a four-set victory. This marks the second-straight year the Knights have been one of the final two teams remaining in the NEC.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• FDU hit at a .233 clip with 46 kills.
• The Red Flash were stifled by the Knights' block that totaled eight rejections.
• Sofia Rampazzo paced the team with 12 kills on 25 attacks and also collected seven digs.
• Kyndal Ganoe was a certified stat-sheet-stuffer as she picked five digs, three aces, and four assists.

 
MATCH FLOW

In the middle stages of the opening frame, the Red Flash grabbed a 15-12 lead. Thanks to two Giorgia Vaschetti kills in the span of five points, FDU was able to knot the set at 16-16. The teams continued to exchange points until Rebeka Fucka put a ball down that gave FDU a set point at 24-23. SFU was able to fight off this set-point and two additional ones to tie the set at 26-26. Finally, a Rampazzo kill and a Red Flash error handed the set to the Knights 28-26.

The second set was just as tight. FDU battled back from a 21-18 deficit en route to finding a 24-23 lead. Yet, a resilient Red Flash side would not be denied. Their attack connected on a kill that knotted the set, and then two FDU errors allowed SFU to take the set 26-24.

It was FDU creating the early separation in set number three. A Ganoe ace and R. Fucka kill highlighted a 5-0 Knights' spurt that put them ahead 10-5. Two kills from Sofia Rampazzo helped FDU extend their lead to six at 13-7. The Red Flash would win the next three points to cut the lead in half but they never got any closer. The Knights solidified the set with another 5-0 run that put it away 25-20.

The Knights rode that momentum to a sizzling start in the fourth frame. In a flash, they found themselves up 6-1. Despite their best efforts to cut down the lead, SFU made four critical errors that pushed the Knights lead to 15-7. NEC Player of the Year Tatijana Fucka had three kills in the fourth set and her final one made the score 20-11 in the Knights' favor. They closed it out 25-19 with a block from Vaschetti.
 
THE FINAL BOUT

#2 FDU will face either #1 Sacred Heart or #4 LIU in tomorrow's NEC Championship game. The match will take place at 6 p.m. in the William H. Pitt Center. Fans can stream the game on ESPN+ and NEC Front Row as the FDU Knights seek back-to-back NEC titles.
  Read Full Article