The Lancaster Bible College women's volleyball team dropped a non-conference contest to crosstown foe Franklin & Marshall, 3-0 on Wednesday night, as the Chargers fell to 16-13 overall this season, while the Diplomats, the top team in the Centennial Conference, improved to 19-4. Franklin & Marshall stayed unbeaten at home this season with a 25-10, 25-17, 25-12 victory.
 
How it Happened: Lancaster Bible trailed just 7-6 early in the first set, but the Diplomats rattled off 12 of 13 points, and took a commanding 19-7 lead before winning the set, 25-10.
 
Lancaster Bible led early in the second set, 9-3 after kills from Aleah Heyworth and Kate Smoker, followed by an ace from Heyworth, that capped a 4-0 rally. The Chargers eventually led 11-7 later in the set, but like the opener, Franklin & Marshall strung together a long rally to get the team back in the set, as the home team won nine of 11 points to build a 16-13 advantage. The Chargers cut the deficit to one, and then to three, 19-16, but the Diplomats proved too strong, and won the second frame, 25-17.
 
There would be no early lead for the Chargers in the third set, as the Diplomats stepped on the gas and led 15-3, before Lancaster Bible earned two points off Franklin & Marshall errors. Lancaster Bible earned kills from Heyworth and Cassidy King later in the set, but it was too late, and the Chargers dropped the third set, 25-12.
 
Statistically Speaking: Lancaster Bible had 20 kills and 22 errors on 92 attempts for a -.022 hitting percentage, while the Diplomats had 35 kills and eight errors on 77 attempts for a .351 hitting percentage…The Chargers had just two aces on Wednesday, and the Diplomats led in digs, 43-32…Heyworth was one of four players with four kills, as she was joined by Chloe King, Courtney Goyak, and Smoker…Cassidy King added two kill and 10 digs, while Faith Helman had 17 assists and seven digs…Bekah Roberts added two kills, and Suzanna Whiting had four digs.
 
News & Notes: Lancaster Bible is now 0-12 all-time against Franklin & Marshall…This was the first match between the two teams since Sept. 2, 2017 when the Diplomats beat the Chargers, 3-0…Lancaster Bible is 6-5 on the road this season…Franklin & Marshall is 9-0 at home this season…Wednesday marked the first time all season Lancaster Bible has posted a negative hitting percentage…The Chargers are 0-3 against Centennial Conference schools this season with losses to Gettysburg, McDaniel, and Franklin & Marshall.
 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible concludes North Eastern Athletic Conference play, and its regular season on Saturday, as the Chargers host conference opponent Penn St. Harrisburg at 11 a.m. in a game that has lots of NEAC Playoff seeding potential…The Nittany Lions will take on Messiah at 1 p.m., before the Chargers host Messiah at 3 p.m…Prior to the match with Messiah, the Charger will honor their four seniors.