The Fordham volleyball team traveled across the Bronx on Sept. 8 to face the Manhattan College Jaspers. Fordham lost a tough first set 25-27 but won the next three sets 25-18, 25-22 and 25-23 to win the game 3-1.
Freshman Natalie Martinez led the team with 10 kills as well as five aces, sophomore Sarah Skelton added 20 digs and senior Abigail Konovodoff contributed 38 assists. Olivia LaPorta also contributed five blocks to the Fordham victory.
The Rams then traveled to Baltimore on Sept. 11-12 to take part in the Maddie Bingaman Memorial Tournament, hosted by University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
The Rams’ first opponent was UMBC. The first set was a tough loss for the Rams as the two teams traded the lead throughout the entire set. UMBC led 8-3 early in the game, but the Rams fought back and even led 25-24. They could not close out the set, as UMBC went on a 3-0 run to win the first set 27-25.
The second set was equally competitive with the Rams going on a 7-0 run to take the lead in the set 22-21, but once again failed to close out, and UMBC took the second set 25-23. The Rams fought hard again in the third set, but UMBC took the set 25-20 and completed its sweep of the Rams.
Konovodoff led the team in assists for the second straight game with 18, sophomore Clarissa Cartledge led the team with 12 digs and freshman Breanna Jones contributed 10 kills for the Rams.
The Rams’ next opponent was the Morgan State Bears. The first set was a back and forth, with both teams trading the lead and having small scoring streaks. The Rams ultimately fell, 26-28. Fordham then began the second set by taking a 4-0 lead and never looked back, taking the second set 25-17.
Then Morgan State came out to start the third set with a scoring streak of 4-0 and won the set 25-16. The fourth set was another hard fought battle, but Morgan State closed out the set on a 6-1 run to take the set 25-19 and the game 3-1.
Cartledge once again led the team with 12 digs and sophomore Emily Fronk added 22 assists. LaPorta led the team in three categories with six blocks, three aces and nine kills.
The final opponent for the Rams on the weekend was the Rider University Broncs. The Rams started the first set strong, going up as much as 7-3. After trading the lead yet again, the Rams closed out the set on a 5-0 run to take the first set 25-20. The Rams came out just as fast on the second set again going up 7-3, but this time, instead of allowing the Broncs to catch up, the Rams ran away with the set by going on a 10-0 streak to close out the second set 25-10.
The Rams continued to open up strong on the third set by taking a 5-0 lead and led by as much as 20-13. However, the Broncs rallied and were able to close the gap to bring the score to 22-21 Rams. The Rams were able to hold on and win the set 25-22, and complete the sweep 3-0, ending their weekend with a victory.
Jones led the team with 11 kills, freshman Nicole Freely added four blocks and LaPorta added three aces. Konovodoff led the team with 25 assists as well as 11 digs.
The Rams are now 5-7 on the year after a 3-1 victory over Saint Peter’s University on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Fordham took the first two sets 25-20 and 25-23, but St. Peter’s fought back in the third set with a 26-24 win. The Rams would not be denied in the fourth set, winning in convincing fashion 25-14.
Martinez led the way for the Rams with 15 kills, Fronk added 20 assists and Jones had a team-high 11 digs in the contest.
The team will now head to Loretto, Pennsylvania to take part in the Red Flash Classic from Sept. 18-19.
