LANCASTER, Pa.  – The Gettysburg College volleyball team came up short in its bid for a Centennial Conference road victory Wednesday night as Franklin & Marshall College took down the Bullets 3-1 inside the Mayser Center.
 
Franklin & Marshall (13-6, 5-1 CC) jumped into second place in the conference standings after winning 27-25, 17-25, 25-17, and 25-21. Gettysburg (18-3, 4-2 CC) fell into a tie for fifth in the league.
 
Gettysburg was on its heels early as the Diplomats rattled off eight of the first 10 points in the opening set. The Bullets weathered the storm and pulled ahead 16-13 following a four-point run. The score was tied seven times from that point with the hosts eventually securing the final two points.
 
A kill by senior Lauren Godshalk (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) set the Bullets on a 6-1 run to start the second set. Gettysburg did not relinquish the upper-hand in the frame, closing with a 7-1 run to tie the match.
 
Franklin & Marshall ripped of a 6-0 streak early in the third set to seize control, but the hosts couldn't shake the visitors in the fourth. The Diplomats stole ahead 16-11 on an ace by Chloe Kong, but Gettysburg came right back to tie the score 19-19.
 
The hosts led 22-21 when the two teams turned in an incredible rally that saw the ball go across the net more than 20 times. Gracie Maggiore eventually found an opening for a kill to kick off a match-closing three-point run for Franklin & Marshall.
 
Freshman Allie Stranick (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy) tallied 16 kills and a season-high 22 digs for Gettysburg. Sophomore Kasey Higgins (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) added 11 kills, while senior Maddie Weikert (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg) finished with eight kills and 11 digs. Sophomore Caroline Sequeira (Millington, N.J./Watchung HIlls) paced the defense with 24 digs. Senior Stephanie Blair (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham) put up a dozen digs and dished out 43 assists.
 
Barbara Kapustin and Grace Polisano each finished with double-doubles for Franklin & Marshall. Kapustin posted 12 kills and 10 digs, while Polisano went for 11-12. Maggiore picked up 41 assists and 11 digs and Shae Murphy added 22 digs.
 
Gettysburg travels to Muhlenberg College (19-3, 4-1 CC) for a tri-match this Saturday. The Bullets face the Mules at noon before taking on Clarkson College (10-7) in a non-conference match at 2 p.m.