Griffins Home Opener Gets Spoiled Against Westminster

ST. LOUIS, Mo.—The Fontbonne University women's volleyball team played well in its home opener against Westminster on Wednesday night, though the Blue Jays spoiled the Griffins first game in front of the home crowd with a four-set (25-17, 17-25, 26-28, 17-25) win.

Prior to the match, head coach Ryan LeGrand was honored for picking up his first collegiate win last weekend. 

The Griffins (1-3; 1-2 SLIAC), posted 41 kills and limited themselves to 16 errors for a season-high .211 hitting percentage. Individually, Olivia Tallo returned from injury and provided a spark with a team-high 11 kills and .250 hitting percentage.

Kristina Eason recorded her second triple-double with 10 kills, 12 assists and, 10 digs. She also hit a season-high .240. Megan Schaller dished out 21 assists for the second straight game, while Sarah Borgerding led them defensively with 17 digs.

Westminster (5-1; 4-0 SLIAC), stayed unbeaten in conference play after totaling 42 kills and concluded with 60 digs. Teresa Becker and Natalie Needy tied with a match-high 12 kills. Jill Reando totaled a match-high 32 assists. Bridget Ringwald led the back line with 18 digs.

In the first set, a kill from Tallo narrowed the Blue Jays lead down to 12-9. However, Westminster rattled off an 8-3 run and went on for the 25-17 win on a kill from Allie Kennebeck.

In the second frame, the Griffins came out on fire with a 10-4 lead on a Blue Jays attack error. The team kept its foot on the peddle and expanded its lead out to 20-9 on Victoria Curtice's kill. WC cut it down to 24-17, though Tallo ended any type of comeback with a kill, giving the Griffins the 25-17 victory.

The third set was a thriller from start-to-finish. Both teams met-up at 15-15 after a ball handling error by the Blue Jays. The two teams went point-for-point, but the Griffins led 24-23 and were a point away from taking a two-sets-to-one lead.

The Blue Jays, though got a kill from Teresa Becker to keep the set going. After a kill from Morgan Diehl, putting WC a point away from winning, the Griffins answered on a kill from Maura Rabun.

However, the Blue Jays closed out the set on a 3-1 run, capped off by Kennebeck's kill to take the third, 28-26.

In the fourth, a kill from Emma Seiz put the Griffins down 10-7. Westminster gained some breathing room on a Reando service ace. Fontbonne got to within five (21-16), but the Blue Jays closed out the set and the match, 25-17.

The Griffins return to action this weekend at the Spalding University Quad Match. They'll take on Bluffton on Friday night, followed by a doubleheader against Spalding and Greenville on Saturday.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the women's volleyball team.

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