Center Valley, PA (November 4, 2015) – The DeSales University volleyball used another incredible comeback vs. FDU-Florham winning the final two sets and fighting off one match point in the fifth set to outlast the Devils, 3-2 (25-27, 25-22, 24-26, 25-18, 17-15), in the MAC Freedom Tournament semifinals on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.
 
The win advances DeSales (22-10 overall) to the MAC Freedom Championship match for the eighth time in the last nine years and for the fifth straight year.  DSU will travel to top seeded Eastern University on Saturday with match time set for 2:00 pm.
 
Wednesday's match was just as tight as the regular season match-up one week ago with the Devils.  FDU took the first set scoring four straight points when DSU led 24-21 to win 27-25 before the Bulldogs led nearly the entire way in the second set to win 25-22 and even the match one set apiece.
 
In the third set both team had their best statistical numbers with FDU totaling 16 kills and just three errors and DSU hammering down 19 kills and just four errors but the Bulldogs leading 22-19 FDU reeled off four straight points to take a 23-22 lead and held on late to take a 2-1 set lead.
 
DeSales trailed 6-3 early in the fourth set but then dominated opening up a 17-12 lead before easily forcing a fifth set.
 
In the fifth the Devils took a 3-0 lead and led 8-6 as the teams changed sides.  DSU six of the next seven points after changing sides to take a 12-9 lead and led 14-10 after an ace from freshman Natalie Gray.  FDU rallied with a kill from Melissa Gaffney and Lauren Harris around a hitting error from the Bulldogs forcing a DSU timeout leading 14-13.
 
After consecutive blocks from the Devils out of the time FDU held a 15-14 lead and the match win at its fingertips but a ball handling error on the FDU setter tied the match at 15 and senior Laura Greenberg closed the match out with back-to-back service aces for a 17-15 Bulldog win.
 
Freshman Gabby Savite', sophomore Logan Wieziolowski, and senior Kait Anderson all had 18 kills in the win as DSU totaled 77 kills as a team as compared to just 49 for the Devils.  Junior Jess Swanson also reached double digit kills with 11 and freshman Taylor Antoniewicz had nine kills and led DSU with a .292 hitting percentage.
 
Junior Lisa Wallitsch had a record-breaking performance totaling a 5-set individual match record of 67 assists, surpassing the old mark of 64 held by both Allison Kleppinger and Justine McNulty.  The team also set a new five set mark with 71 team assists, surpassing the old mark of 67.  Wallitsch added 14 digs.
 
Savite' led the way in the back row as well with 29 digs and freshman Natalie Gray had 28 digs.  Sophomore Bernadette Wood finished with 17 digs and senior Laura Greenberg totaled 13 digs.  Gray also led the way with five service aces.
 
Savite' also reached a milestone becoming the first Bulldog to ever record 400+ kills and 400+ digs in a single-season.