Franciscan 2, Chatham 3

Franciscan Starters 
Angela Sweeney, Grace Wallace, Mary Jean Cadman, Sarah Clyde, Tessa Miller, Kaitlan Hickey & libero - Sara Moore

How It Happened 
After nearly a month of playing on the road, Franciscan Women's Volleyball hosted Chatham at Finnegan Fieldhouse on Tuesday evening. This was their second time this season that they have taken on the Cougars. On Septmeber 28th, Franciscan made the trip to Pittsburgh and beat Chatham in four sets. Tonight in Steubenville, the Cougars would pick up the conference win in a five set back-and-forth match. 

Franciscan would jump out to a 4-2 lead with a pair of aces from Kaitlan Hickey, but the Cougars would make a run. A 5-0 Cougars' run would give them a 9-6 edge. An Angela Sweeney kill tied it back up at 12-12, as it felt that Franciscan gained the momentum back, but instead the Cougars went on a 5-0 run. It was looking bleak for the Barons, as they trailed 23-19, but they did not quit. Gabrielle Disselkamp added a kill and Sarah Clyde provided a crucial ace to help them pull within one. Chatham earned a kill to hold a 24-22 lead. Franciscan did not blink, as Elizabeth Luebbers, Gabrielle Disselkamp, and Tessa Miller added kills on a 4-0 run to take the opening set. 

Chatham came out firing on all cylinders with an early 5-1 lead. They held a 12-7 edge, but then a Franciscan 6-1 run would tie it up at 13-13. Sweeney and Wallace kept up the offensive attack as Franciscan took a 17-14 lead. The Cougars answered with a 6-0 run to take a 20-17 edge. The Barons battled back, but the Cougars was be able to close this set out to tie the match at 1-1.

Set three would be a microcosm of the entire night, as the score was tied 12 different times throughout this set. The final tie would be at 21-21, and then the Cougars went on a 4-1 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

It was make or break time for the Barons, and they were up for the challenge. They took an early 8-5 lead, but the Cougars quickly regained the lead at 10-9. They would maintain the lead up to 16-14, and then the Barons went on a run.  A 6-0 run ensued on Mary Smart's serve, including one ace. The Cougars were not be able to tie it up the rest of the wat, as the Franciscan offense closed it out and force a fifth set. 

For the fourth time this season, Franciscan played a five set match. They entered today's game with a 2-1 record in previous five-set matches. The Cougars reached eight first at 8-5, and they would switch sides. Franciscan answered and tie it up at 8-8. The Cougars made their move with a 5-1 run to force a match point situation at 14-11. Franciscan stood strong with three straight points with kills from different players. Chatham found the final kill to end the match with a 15-13 set win.
 
Inside the Numbers 
- Cadman led the balanced attack with 12 kills.
- Sara Moore had 27 digs. 
- Mary Smart had a team-high 22 set assists. 
- Miller had nine kills with a .471 attack percentage

Up Next
Franciscan resumes PAC play at Waynesburg on Saturday at Waynesburg at 11:00 a.m. The Barons are 14-3 all-time against the Yellow Jackets with wins in their last two meetings. Both of those matchups came last season with the Barons winning in four and five sets. Waynesburg started off the season well, but they are in search of their first PAC win. A JV game will follow the conclusion of the game on Saturday.

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