Bayer, Olmstead Lead CCSU Past FDU, 3-1

Sophomore Amanda Bayer tallied a match best 50 assists while recording 11 digs to lead the Central Connecticut volleyball team (8-12, 3-2) past Fairleigh Dickinson (14-11, 2-2) on the road Saturday afternoon, 3-1 (25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16). Senior captain Amanda Olmstead added 17 kills and nine digs to help the Blue Devils improve to 8-12 on the season and move back above .500 in NEC action.

In the first set of action CCSU took the lead after a 6-6 tie when freshman Sara DeLacey put home a kill off of an assist from sophomore Kaitlin Petrella. The Blue Devils never relinquished the lead, finishing the first frame on an 8-3 run to win by a score of 25-19. Junior Jamie Baumert led Central in the first set with eight kills on .889 hitting percentage.

CCSU broke an early tie again in the second set. Bayer set up Olmstead for a kill that put the Blue Devils up 9-8. Central went on a 7-3 run and led from there on out, ending on an attack error by FDU. Sophomore Lauren Snyder led the way in the second set, tallying five kills and for digs, putting the Blue Devils up 2-0.

In the third set it was Fairleigh Dickinson's turn to make the mid-set run as they broke a 12-12 tie and rattled off five straight points. Senior Lauren Boothby led the Knights in the run, recording two kills and a block. The Blue Devils kept it close but FDU took the third set by a score of 25-23. Boothby finished with a set-best seven kills, while Olmstead kept CCSU in it with six kills of her own.

The Blue Devils found themselves in another tight one, leading Fairleigh Dickinson by a score of 11-10 midway through the fourth set. CCSU finished off the match by going on a 14 to six run and taking the final set 25-16. Baumert led Central with six kills on only nine attempts, while Petrella anchored the defense, recording eight digs.

Petrella finished with a match-best and season high of 27 digs for CCSU. Baumert matched Olmstead's 17 kill total, while adding four block in the victory. Snyder helped out both offensively and defensively, tallying 11 kills and 17 digs.

Boothby led all players in the match with 22 kills, while senior Karolina Kowalski tallied 41 assists and 13 digs for the Knights.

CCSU improves to 8-12 overall and 3-2 in Northeast Conference competition. The Blue Devils will next play host against Bryant on Wednesday November 5 at 7:00 p.m. Fairleigh Dickinson falls to 14-11 overall and hold a 2-2 NEC record. The Knights will next be hosting Robert Morris on Saturday November 8 at 1:00 p.m.