HANNAH DOYLE
STAFF WRITER
Franciscan’s volleyball team faced tough competition in their 3-set loss against the Bethany Bison Monday night despite the Barons’ fierce efforts in the second set.
Bethany came out strong in the first set, making calculated plays and spikes. The Barons tried to work out the errors in their play but were not able to do so before Bethany won the set 25-12.
In the second set, the Bison played fiercely and gained a strong lead. Eventually, junior defensive specialist and libero Sarah Murgia led the Barons in a 7-0 run, bringing the Barons back from a 24-15 trail to 24-22. Bethany was able to kill the point streak and strike back, closing the match with a score of 25-22.
Senior Captain Maria Ciola said, “When Sarah Murgia came in to serve, she lit it up and did extremely well under the pressure. We need that type of confidence and fire as we battle in conference this week.”
In the third and final set, both teams were evenly matched. The Barons came out aggressively matching Bethany at 3-3. Despite the Barons’ best efforts, Bethany pulled ahead. Trading volleys back and forth, Bethany gained a lead, but Franciscan was not far behind, keeping a four-point differential for the majority of the match. Bethany made quick work of finishing out the match, winning 25-18.
After the game, head coach Kelly Herrmann said, “I’m pleased with the way our young team responded to our weak play in the first game of the match. We have many freshmen playing key roles, but our team has the ability to stay positive in difficult moments. We have to take one match at a time, fight to get into playoffs and be playing our best when we get there.”
The Lady Barons will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. for a conference game against Pitt-Greensburg at home.