By TARA SLEDJESKI
STAFF WRITER
This past Saturday night, Nov. 2, marked the last home game of the year for the Fordham women’s volleyball team and the last home game for seven Ram players. Those seven seniors were honored before the senior night game against Saint Louis, but unfortunately the night did not end with much celebrating. Ultimately, Saint Louis spoiled the seniors’ party and won the game in three straight sets.
Sara Konkel was one of seven seniors honored during the pregame ceremony. (Photo by Ally White/The Ram)
Krissy Buongiorno, Michele Keathley, Sara Konkel, Krista Whitewood, Maria Rodenberg, Carina Thompson and Emily Atwood were the seven Fordham seniors honored prior to the loss. The girls, accompanied by their families, each received a framed jersey and flowers to acknowledge their time spent on the court in the Rose Hill Gym.
The first set started out well for Fordham, thanks in part to a serving ace by sophomore Abigail Konovodoff. Kills by redshirt junior Lisa Hipp and sophomores Brenna Deising and Brianna O’Neill also helped the Rams get a 5-2 lead. Saint Louis, however, quickly fought back and scored on two Fordham errors and a kill to make it a 5-5 tie.
Another kill by Deising put the Rams back ahead, but Saint Louis went on another streak and took a 9-6 lead with three points coming off of Fordham errors. After that, the closest Fordham would get during the set was within three points, when three Saint Louis errors made it 13-10. Saint Louis then took over the rest of the set and won it 25-18 with the winning point coming on a kill.
The second set was competitive showing for the Rams, but it ended with a close 25-23 win for Saint Louis, gaining a 2-0 set advantage.The set was tied at 16 when kills by Thompson and O’Neill put the Rams ahead 18-16. Two Fordham errors quickly retied the set at 18 before they took a 19-18 lead on a Saint Louis error.
Saint Louis then took a 20-19 lead on a Ram error and a kill before the set was tied once again at 20 following a Saint Louis error. Two kills and a Fordham error gave Saint Louis a 23-20 advantage in the set before the Rams fought back once again. A kill by Hipp and a service ace from Konovodoff paired with a Saint Louis error tied things up at 23. At that point it seemed like Fordham might steal a set from one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10. Unfortunately for the Rams, Saint Louis quickly took a 24-23 lead on a kill before an additional Fordham error won Saint Louis the set.
The third set featured another good fight between the two teams with a tie at 20. A St. Louis kill put them up 21-20 before the Rams got a point off of a Hipp kill and a Saint Louis error to give Fordham a 22-21 lead. At this point in the set, the Billikens called a timeout to regroup, and it worked, as they would score four consecutive points to take the final set 25-22 and win the game.
On Senior Night, two sophomores led the way for Fordham. O’Neill recorded the most kills with 10 and Konovodoff picked up the most assists with 27. Atwood, a senior, did, however, lead the team in digs with 10 as she ended her career in the Rose Hill Gym.
The loss moved the Rams’ record to 2-10 in A-10 conference play and 9-18 overall. Meanwhile, Saint Louis improved its conference record to 6-4 and their overall record to 10-15. St. Louis is currently fourth in the A-10 standings while Fordham remains in seventh, one spot out of the conference tournament. Fordham is still chasing Dayton, which is 5-6 in conference, for the final spot in the tournament.
The Rams now have four games left to play, all on the road. Their next game is Friday Nov. 8 at George Washington. George Washington is currently 8-2 in conference for third in the standings. After that, the Rams travel to George Mason on Saturday Nov. 9 to take on a team that is 2-9 and eighth in the conference.
