By Devin Adams
Fordham Volleyball traveled down to George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, to face the Patriots on Oct. 23. The Rams were hoping to snap their two game losing streak against a George Mason team that has also struggled in A-10 play.
The first set was a tough back and forth, and although remaining competitive late, the Rams were down 19-16 and unable to overcome the deficit. George Mason would go on to win the set 25-19. In the second set, the Rams found their groove early and went up 12-11 on the Patriots. After this, though, the Patriot offense exploded and George Mason won the set 25-15. The Patriots continued this offensive barrage into the third and took the set 25-12, completing their sweep of the Rams. Freshman Olivia LaPorta led the team in kills and blocks with five and two respectively. Senior Abigail Konovodoff had a team high 14 assists and senior Brennan Delsing led the team with 14 digs.
The Rams second opponent of the weekend was George Washington University in Washington, DC on Oct. 24. Fordham faced a tough opponent in GW, who is 6-3 in A-10 play. In the first set, the Rams could not find their rhythm and GW took advantage, going on multiple scoring streaks and ultimately winning the set 25-16. The Rams found some offense early in the second set, keeping the score close at 9-8 in favor of George Washington. GW then erupted for eight straight points and took the set 25-16 from the Rams. The third set unfolded in the same manner, with Fordham remaining competitive early and tying the game at 12. GW then continued their offensive dominance and took the set 25-18, completing the sweep of Fordham. Freshman Brenna Jones led the team with 13 kills and added an ace. Sophomore Emily Fronk led the team with 30 assists, LaPorta added three blocks and Delsing had a team-high 14 digs.
The Rams return to the Bronx on Oct. 30 to face Saint Louis, who is currently sitting in second in the A-10 standings, at 7 p.m.
With six games left in the season, there are a couple of positives to take away from the year already. Although they have struggled as of late, the Rams have greatly improved compared to last season in which they finished with only three wins. The squad is also a young one with only four upperclassmen players on the roster. The amount of experience the underclassmen are getting will prove to be a valuable resource for the Rams in the next few seasons. The Rams are also still in the fight for the final seed of the A-10 tournament taking place on Nov. 20-22. If the Rams can overcome this losing streak and have a strong final push for the tournament, this young team could begin to make noise in the A-10.
