HACKENSACK, N.J. (Oct. 15, 2006) – The Saint Francis women’s volleyball team fell behind in all four games, but found a way to make big comebacks in three of them to defeat Fairleigh Dickinson 3-1 in Northeast Conference action on Sunday afternoon at the Rothman Center.

With the 30-27, 22-30, 30-27, 32-30 win, the Red Flash improved to 13-12 on the season after a 2-0 start to the Northeast Conference schedule this weekend. They are 2-0 in conference for the first time since 2003. Saint Francis will return to Loretto for a five-match homestand, beginning with a big test against in-state NEC rival Robert Morris, at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Colonials defeated the Red Flash in a non-conference match earlier this season.

Senior outside hitter Anne Roosevelt (Plymouth, Mich. / Mercy) paced Saint Francis with 21 kills and 22 digs, while sophomore Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, Va. / Forest Park) added 12 kills and 3 blocks on a .440 hitting percentage.

The Red Flash fell behind 10-1 in Game 1, but battled back to eventually tie the match at 25-25 before winning 30-27. After losing Game 2, Saint Francis won Game 3 30-27 on the strength of a 20-10 run. But it was a strong Game 4 rally that clinched the victory. The Red Flash were on the verge of a Game 5 with the Knights leading 29-22. However, senior Linda Dolansky (Rahway, N.J. / Union Catholic) had a kill to make it 29-23, and she then served the next six winners to tie the match at 29-29. She had one service ace during the stretch, while Roosevelt had two kills and Gibbs added another. Saint Francis clinched the win at 32-30 on an attack error by Fairleigh Dickinson.

Senior Angela Shotter (Uniontown, Pa. / Laurel Highlands) played libero and produced 23 digs for the Red Flash. Junior Jamie Papini (Somerset, Pa. / Somerset) added three service aces and 18 digs in the match.

The 13 wins on the season mark the most for Saint Francis since the 2002 season, when the squad won 16 matches.