QU Volleyball Bounces Back, Defeats FDU In Four Sets

Wednesday, September 7

Hamden, Conn.

7:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

6-4

Fairleigh Dickinson University

0-7

Fairleigh Dickinson

Quinnipiac

QU Volleyball Bounces Back, Defeats FDU In Four Sets

9/7/2016 9:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: QU Sports Information

HAMDEN, Conn. - Freshman setter Maria Pansari (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) had a season-high 52 assists and junior middle hitter Elizabeth Kloos (Munster, Ind.) had a career-high 16 kills (in 27 attempts) to lead the Quinnipiac women's volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday evening at Burt Kahn Gymnasium.

With the win, the Bobcats improve to 6-4 on the year, already matching the highest win total for the program in the last 14 years, since the 2002 team finished 10-15. The 2010, 2005, and 2003 teams all finished with six wins since then. Fairleigh Dickinson falls to 0-7 on the year, as set scores were 25-17, 27-25, 23-25, 25-14 in Quinnipiac's favor.

The Bobcats were able to come through and snap a three-match losing skid after an historic 5-1 start, which started when they let a 2-0 lead get away in a five-set loss to Saint Francis Brooklyn on Saturday. The Fairleigh Dickinson match momentarily seemed like it might follow a similar pattern, as the Knights overcame a seven-point deficit to take the third set 25-23, but Quinnipiac regrouped and dominated the fourth set for the win.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth to set the tone early, as Kloos had an ace in the run, and senior middle hitter Allison Leigh (Palmer, Alaska) had a block and an assist. The lead stayed between 6-8 points for the rest of the set, until the Bobcats used a 6-1 run to pull ahead 24-13. Freshman outside hitter Natalie Alechko (Old Tappan, N.J.) helped close it out with kills to account for four of Quinnipiac's final six points, including match point on a tip kill over the Fairleigh Dickinson block.

Quinnipiac also took control of the first set with a 12-3 run which turned an 11-11 tie into a commanding 23-14 lead. Pansari had 17 assists in the first set alone, as the Bobcats hit .371 as a team, with Kloos recording six kills and no errors.

The second set was tight the whole way, with neither team ever having a lead of more than three points. Quinnipiac used a timely 5-0 run to turn a 22-19 deficit into a 24-22 lead, with Kloos recording three kills during the run. Fairleigh Dickinson fought off both set points, but sophomore outside Jen Cofffey (Merrimack, N.H.) had an emphatic kill to give Quinnipiac the lead back at 25-24. FDU wiped out a third match point, but the Bobcats took advantage of an attack error and Pansari's serve handcuffed the Knights, resulting in another attack error for a 27-25 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.

Quinnipiac appeared to be on its way to a sweep, leading 17-10 in the third after back-to-back kills from Coffey. FDU battled back with the next four points to close to 17-14 and pulled even at 20-20. With the score tied 23-23, Kloos nearly painted the sideline with a kill but the ball was called just out giving the set point to the Knights and they took advantage with a kill from Rebecca Sabol to stay in the match.

Four players finished in double figures in kills for Quinnipiac, with sophomore outside hitter Kat Miller (Collegeville, Pa.) and Alechko each tallying 12 and Coffey adding 10. Miller and freshman libero Alejandra Rodriguez (Toa Alta, P.R.) each had 13 digs to lead the defense, while Leigh had seven blocks (three solo) and Kloos added four. Pansari's 52 assists passed her previous best of 48, which she set in her college debut, a 3-1 win over Saint Francis (Pa.), while Kloos passed her previous high in kills of 14, set last season against Saint Francis Brooklyn.

Quinnipiac is back in action this weekend at the Providence Invitational, facing La Salle on Friday and then Holy Cross and host Providence on Saturday. The Bobcats met La Salle once already, falling 3-0 on opening day at the Explorers' host invitational.