NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Felician University volleyball team played seven lengthy sets against a pair of non-league opponents from the Northeast 10 conference on Saturday, but ultimately twice went down to defeat. At Pelz Gymnasium, Felician fell to host Southern Connecticut State University, 3-1, before dropping a 3-0 decision to Franklin Pierce University.

Golden Falcon junior outside hitter Hannah Chiswick (Pittstown, N.J.) turned in double-doubles in each match. She recorded 11 kills and 20 digs against the Owls before turning in 10 kills, 10 digs and five aces versus the Ravens.

Southern Connecticut State topped Felician by a set tally of 28-26, 28-30, 25-15, 25-19. The teams needed one hour, 15 minutes, to split the first two sets, and the four-set match lasted two hours, 10 minutes. Owl graduate outside hitter Gabriela Vazquez (Meriden, Conn.) posted a .441 attack percentage with 18 kills. Teammate Gabriela Gabur (Monroe, N.Y.) amassed 14 kills, 15 digs and three aces.

SCSU (10-1) seized control of the match during Set 3. The Owls got out to a 10-6 lead, and, ahead by the same margin, put down five consecutive kills – three from Vazquez – to move ahead, 18-9. Felician came as close as 21-15, only to see the hosts claim the next four rallies. The Owls then broke away from a 7-7 Set 4 stalemate for 19-11 advantage. Trailing, 24-15, the Golden Falcon saved four match points before succumbing.

Senior outside Maddie Sloan (Caldwell, N.J.) topped Felician with 15 kills, and sophomore middle Catherine Lentsch (Elkhorn, Neb.) added a season-high eight. Junior setter Miquela Martinez (Santa Fe, N.M.) recorded 19 assists and 16 digs.

The Golden Falcons then remained on the floor to face Franklin Pierce, with the scheduled 4 p.m. match beginning at 5:40. During all three sets Felician fell behind and saw furious comebacks fall short, leading to a final score of 25-21, 26-24, 25-23.

FPU (5-4) extended a 11-4 Set 1 lead to 22-10. Felician gave the Ravens a scare when, down 23-13, it rattled off eight consecutive points, including five on Chiswick aces. But a key sideout was followed with another FPU kills to end the set. In Set 2, the Golden Falcons led, 17-13, before surrendering nine rallies in a row to trail by five. Felician nearly flipped the script, drawing even at 24-24, before FPU again came up with a pair of kills and led the match, 2-0

FPU methodically built a 22-16 Set 3 lead. But the Golden Falcons provided some final resistance, running off five points in a row for a 23-23 deadlock. For the third consecutive set, the Ravens captured the final two points, with a Mariah Robles (West Covina, Calif.) kill ending the contest.

Felician senior libero Alondra Diaz Sanchez (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) pulled up 27 digs. The Ravens' Tessa Brandt (Foster, R.I.) had 10 kills and 16 digs.

The Golden Falcons travel to Waterbury, Conn., on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference tilt against Post University.