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WAYNE, N.J. – It was a career night for junior Chelliah Phillips (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), but her efforts were not enough as the William Paterson volleyball team (9-7) was overcome in a dramatic 3-2 decision against Farmingdale State College in non-conference action.
 
Phillips led WP with 15 kills, bettering her previous career-high of 10 set earlier this season against Baruch. Right behind Phillips was junior Amanda Lembo (North Haledon, N.J./DePaul Catholic) and sophomore Alyson Toman (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) with 14 kills apiece. Junior Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) once again led the Pioneers defensively, recording 19 digs and one block. Junior setter Kendall Caruso (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) tallied a season-best 45 assists to go wiith 14 digs for a double-double.
 
It was an exciting match from the opening serve, as the first set went 27-25, with the Rams eventually coming away with the set victory. Neither team led by more than four points during the stanza, and it was the Pioneers leading 21-18 late before the Rams rallied to level the score 21-21. After trading kills, WP took the lead after a ball handling error on Farmingdale State. The Rams used back-to-back kills however to retake the lead 24-23, but a kill by Lembo kept the Pioneers alive for the moment. After trading kills once more, the Rams used a kill and a service ace to come away with the win and held the early edge in the match.
 
The Rams started strong in set number two, taking an 11-4 lead after putting together seven consecutive points in the early goings. The Pioneers used a rally of their own however, scoring the next seven points to tie the score and change the momentum of the match. WP continued to roll from there, taking a 20-16 lead on a kill by Griffith. After two points from the Rams, the Pioneers made it 24-20 with a Phillips kill and took the set on an attack error by the Rams on the following point.
 
It was another close frame in the third stanza, but the Pioneer attack helped the team pull out to a 23-17 lead late, and freshman Dakota Apicella (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) gave WP a 2-1 lead with a kill to take the set 25-20 once again. The Rams would not go away easily though, forcing a fifth set with a 25-22 victory in the fourth frame, fighting off a comeback attempt by the Pioneers late.
 
In the decisive set, the Rams took control early with the first five points, and never looked back. WP chipped away at the lead slowly, making it 9-7 with a kill by junior Amanda Lembo (North Haledon, N.J./DePaul Catholic) midway through the set. The Pioneers rallied against four match points to make it 14-13, but the Rams halted the comeback attempt on a match-clinching kill by Annie Cosgrove to down William Paterson 3-2.
 
The Pioneers will look to bounce back on Saturday, October 7 when they host York College (N.Y.) and Maritime College in a tri-match inside the Recreation Center beginning at 11:00 a.m.
 
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