The Chargers’ volleyball team faced off against Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) last week and were swept, 3-0. Coming off a close win against Stonehill College, the Chargers stood at 2-8 on the season. However, after the loss to the FDU Knights, the Chargers now stand at 2-9.
In the first set, FDU dominated offensively. The Chargers won the first point off a service ace from senior Juli De Acharan, but the Knights went on a six-point run to take the lead and force New Haven to call a timeout. New Haven’s Lauren MacKeller delivered four kills, but it was not enough to mount a comeback against the Knights. Despite multiple blocks and kills from New Haven, FDU won the first set, 25-14.
The second set was a battle as the Chargers and Knights stood neck and neck. It was 15-14 during the media timeout, but FDU’s aggressive play only allowed for the Chargers to put an additional four points on the board. The Knights’ Madeline Joyce secured a service ace to win the set, 25-18.
The third set was a close matchup, with each team scoring after a long series, neither taking more than a two-point lead until New Haven began to pull away from FDU, 10-13. But after a regroup from FDU, the Knights took over the set to finish the game. The final score was 25-15.
De Acharan totaled five digs and 10 assists. The Chargers finished the match with 24 kills while MacKellar and Jordan Northcutt led New Haven with six.
The Chargers and Knights faced-off for a second game of the series, but New Haven lost 3-0. FDU totaled 43 kills while the Chargers trailed behind with 35. Naliah Grannell led New Haven with 10 kills while Caroline Johnston had 15 assists. Both teams tallied 17 errors during three sets.
The Chargers will be back in action on Wednesday when they host the Long Island University (LIU) Sharks for a conference matchup. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. at The Hazell Center. For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.
