HACKENSACK, N.J.- FDU (2-13, 1-1) earned their first NEC win of the season on Saturday night against CCSU (1-12, 0-2). The Knights were able to handle the Blue Devils in four swift sets.
Match Flow
The first set was initially close, but a Blue Devil Run in the middle-stages changed the course. A 10-2 run, spurred by a strong block, gave CCSU a commanding 20-11 lead. FDU would score five more times to make it closer but CCSU still grabbed the set. 25-16.
The insertion of Georgia Vaschetti flipped the script in the second set. She produced the first four kills of the set and established the tone for the Knights to grab an early lead. The Blue Devils battled back, but a 5-0 run backed by Sophia Rampazzo at the service line, put the Knights ahead 14-8. FDU stifled the CCSU attack as they kept them in the negatives for the frame and evened the match. 25-12.
FDU continued to ride their momentum to a 13-6 lead in the third. Constant offense and sturdy defense kept CCSU at arms-length for the remainder of the set as FDU was able to take a 2-1 lead. 25-18.
Rampazzo's service pressure ignited yet another Knights' run at the beginning of the fourth frame. Their 6-0 lead was a strong indication of how the rest of the match would go as FDU continued to force the Blue Devils out of sync. The lead grew to 15-4 and eventually 20-9 before FDU closed out the set and match. 25-14.
Team Leaders
Vaschetti led the FDU attack with 14 kills on an explosive .476 hitting percentage.
Madisyn Beirne followed closely behind with 13 kills of her own.
Rebeka Fucka added an impressive two-way performance with nine kills and five blocks. It was
Hannah Schmidt setting the table for the attackers with 37 assists. Rampazzo's 20 digs anchored the defense.
What's Next
The Knights continue their homestand with a match on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Saint Peter's inside the Rothman Center. Stream the game on NEC Front Row.
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