The three sets minimum were all the Setters needed. Pace Volleyball swept the Franklin Pierce Ravens on October 12 in Northeast 10 Conference play. The win brought the team back to .500 in both overall record (6-6) and within the NE-10 at 1-1.
Pace’s victory over the Ravens brought Pace up to 2-3 at home.
The first real advantage of the game was claimed by Pace. A 9-7, two up for Pace would not be relinquished. Added benefit was multiple errors for the Ravens. The worst of it for Franklin Pierce came at the end. On top of a couple of errant sets, two straight attack errors ended the first set. Pace came out on top 25-17. Abby Robertson had four kills as did Karielys Melendez to lead the way through one.
The start of set 2 was a back-and-forth seesaw of the upper hand. Two kills put Pace up early 3-1. Franklin Pierce answered with four straight points of their own. Two kills and two Raven errors would put Pace back on top at 9-7. Melendez’s 9th kill of the day set off a crucial point streak for the Setters. Her and Robertson combined for 4 kills en route to 11 straight for Pace, their lead jumping from 11-9 to 22-9. The team also benefitted from continued miscues from Franklin Pierce. Three attack errors helped in padding Pace’s lead. This one went in their favor in dominant fashion, finishing 25-11.
Franklin Pierce were the ones up early for the final set, initially ahead 4-2. Pace would be able to return the favor, tying the set at 5 courtesy of
a service ace by Robertson. She retook the lead for the Setters with yet another kill. It would turn out to be another punch-counter punch set. An 11-7 Pace lead was answered by three consecutive by Franklin Pierce. The Setters finally pulled away when a Ravens attack error put them up 17-13. Julia Felgenhauer got two straight service errors toward the end. Abby Robertson put the game to bed with one last kill, her 12th.
Karielys Melendez’s big day ended with 15 kills, 7 digs and 6 aces. The aforementioned Robertson added 2 assists to her stat line. Pace won the point battle over Franklin Pierce, claiming 56 to their 34. The assists stat was also an advantage to the Setters, as a team they tallied 41, to the Ravens’ 24.
Pace will get a chance to be at an even .500 during Homecoming weekend. The Setters will host The Saint Anselm College Hawks. That match will go down on Friday, October 25 at 6:00pm. Find tickets online and follow along with the rest of volleyball’s season on paceuathletics.com