MADISON, N.J. – The Lebanon Valley volleyball squad began conference play with a 3-1 victory at FDU-Florham on Wednesday evening with a balanced team effort.
 
LVC (5-8, 1-0 MAC Freedom) received significant contributions from all 10 team members who played in the match. After dropping the first set 25-22, the Dutchmen rallied to win the next three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-22, and 26-24 to hand the Devils (7-5, 0-1 MAC Freedom) their first defeat of the year inside the Ferguson Recreation Center.
 
The Devils scored the first two points of the night. The Dutchmen struck right back and scored six of the next eight points to take a 6-4 advantage. Teaguen Reynolds had an ace while Mattea Penner, Brooke Olejniczak, and Libby Lindau all recorded points. FDU-Florham responded with three consecutive points to retake the lead. Margaret Cole and Penner had back-to-back points to put LVC up 10-9. The teams traded points and runs over the next 20 serves, with a Lyla Arfanella ace giving the Dutchmen a 20-19 lead. The Devils were able to close the set strongly, winning six of the next eight points to take the opening set 25-22.
 
The second set began with the teams trading points. The Dutchmen took advantage of a couple of errors by the Devils to go up 6-3. FDU was able to get the deficit down to one point before Penner and Reynolds sandwiched an attack error by the hosts to push the lead to 11-7. It was a two-point set when Lindau put away a Sofia Okronley set, and then Casey Levan had a pair of aces. LVC reached 20 points first for the second consecutive set on an Olejniczak and Reynolds block. The Devils were able to get within three points before Olejniczak and Cole had back-to-back points to make it 23-18. The Dutchmen finished out the set on a pair of FDU errors to even the match up.
 
Lindau and Olejniczak got the Dutchmen out to a 3-1 lead in the third set. The Devils answered with five consecutive points. LVC countered with three points as a Reynolds ace tied things up at six. A 6-1 run by the Dutchmen turned a one-point deficit into a four-point advantage. LVC was able to keep the four-point lead and reached 20 first on a Olejniczak point. The Dutchmen kept the pressure on and led 24-18 following an Okronley point. The Devils rallied, scoring four straight points before a service error ended the set, giving LVC a 2-1 advantage.
 
The fifth set began strongly for the Dutchmen as back-to-back points from Lindau gave the team a 5-1 advantage. Olejniczak scored the first three points of the set for LVC and had two big blocks. FDU-Florham used a 7-1 run to take the lead. They were able to maintain a one- or two-point lead and reached 20 points first for the first time in the match. The hosts seemed primed to send the match to a fifth set as they held a 23-21 advantage. Lindau and Kylie Nagle came up with big points to tie the set before an attack error put LVC at match point. The Devils were able to stay alive until Jasmine Sullivan recorded a point, and then the Devils were unable to get the ball over the net on match point.
 
Inside the Box

• Lindau led the team with 15 points on 14 kills and two block assists.
• Penner also had 14 kills and added 20 digs to finish with 14 points.
• Olejniczak finished with nine kills and three total blocks with five digs for 11.5 points
• Reynolds added seven kills, three aces, and a block assist for 10.5 points.
• Cole recorded 10 points on eight kills and four block assists.
• Sullivan had 17 assists, two kills, and two block assists.
• Arfanella had five digs and two aces while Levan recorded nine digs and two aces.
• Okronley led the team with 30 assists and added 11 digs.
• Nagle had a team-high 29 digs and four assists.
• The Dutchmen had 56 kills and 56 assists. Both numbers are their second-most of the season.

Up Next
Lebanon Valley will head to Grantham on Saturday for a tri-match with host Messiah University and Salisbury University. The Dutchmen will begin the day with a big match against their former MAC Commonwealth rivals at 12 p.m. in the first match of the day. They will then take on Salisbury following the match with the Falcons.

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