LANCASTER, Pa. - The Dickinson volleyball team got off to a great start on Saturday in a big Centennial Conference road match against the host Franklin and Marshall College taking a 2-0 lead with wins of 25-23 and 26-24. However, the Red and White were unable to finish off the home side as the Diplomats claimed the next three sets to pick up a 3-2 win inside the Mayser Center.
First Set
- Things went back-and-forth early with kills for Amelia Kim, Mallie Thomas and Eliette Whittaker keeping it locked at 7-7.
- A kill from Avery Grantham and ace by Liah Perez started and ended a 7-0 stretch from the hosts (14-7).
- Dickinson would fight back on scores from Avery Butcher, Norah Oppenheim, Kim, Thomas and Whittaker closing the gap to 17-15.Â
- After F&M got the next two (19-15), the Devils exploded for eight in a row thanks to Jessica Currie, Kim and Whittaker making the score 23-19 DC.
- A kill by Melissa Benkowitz trimmed the margin to 24-23, but Kim pounded down the ensuing kill for the set (25-23).
Second Set
- The trio of Currie, Kim and Thomas had Dickinson out to a 7-5 edge to start.
- The ensuing eight points were shared with Emery Fishbach joining Currie and Thomas to maintain their slim advantage 11-10.
- Kills from Oppenheim, Thomas and Whittaker coupled with an ace by Butcher and joint block between Kim and Whittaker extended the visitors lead to 20-15.
- However, the pair of Coco Shultz and Benkowitz helped the home team to keep chipping away and ultimately taking a 24-23 lead.
- Dickinson answered in a big way taking the next three points aided by a pair of combo blocks to grab a 26-24 victory.
Third Set
- F&M came out of the gates firing away with Ceci Connolly, Abby Silinski, and Benkowitz putting them ahead 8-1.
- Katie Arcara, Currie, Thomas and Whittaker each posted one kill to make it 10-6, before the Diplomats claimed four of the next five to double up the Devils 14-7.
- Lora Flynn accompanied Fishbach, Kim, Oppenheim, Thomas and Whittaker on a 12-5 romp to close within 19-18.
- Four DC miscues and a solo kill for Grantham put the Diplomats on the cusp of the set at 24-21, but one score each by Kim and Thomas made it 24-23 F&M.
- Connolly wrapped up the frame with the final kill for the 25-23 win.
Fourth Set
- Dickinson opened things up with a kill by Kim and ace off the hand of Thomas, but then the hosts embarked on an 11-2 charge jumping ahead 11-4.
- A pair of Camille Dofiles aces along with two kills for Kim brought DC within 11-9.
- The Diplomats answered with five straight thanks to two aces by Carly Campbell making the score 16-9.
- Kills from Dofiles, Fishbach and Thomas trimmed things down slightly to 21-15.
- Two Shultz kills capped off the set at 25-16.
Fifth Set
- After a Kim score opened the frame, the home side stormed back eight straight ending on a kill for Shultz (8-1).
- A solo block from Fishbach and single points by Butcher and Thomas made it 8-4, before Benkowitz and Shultz ended the match on a 7-2 run closing out the match 15-6.
Dickinson Top Performers
- Kills - Thomas (16), Kim (15), Currie and Oppenheim (5)
- Digs - Thomas (18), Arcara and Dofiles (10)
- Assists - Dofiles (23), Flynn (15)
Opponent Top Performers
- Kills - Shultz (22), Connolly (18), Benkowitz (15)
- Digs - Shultz (19), Benkowitz (18), Silinski (17), Perez (11)
- Assists - Perez (37), Campbell (21)
Up Next
- Dickinson (16-10, 4-4 Centennial) ends the regular season next week with a pair of home matches. First, they will host McDaniel on Wednesday night at 7pm, before welcoming Washington (Md.) to the Kline Center Saturday at 1pm.
