Hackensack, NJ - For the second time during the 2004 season, the La Salle Explorers and the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights battled to a five game series, and had to push beyond the standard 15 point win in game five. The Knights earned an 18-16 advantage in the final game to defeat the Explorers 3-2 (30-21, 27-30, 30-23, 15-30, 16-18) on Tuesday night at the Rotman Center.

La Salle won the first game, 30-21, but Fairleigh Dickinson jumped out to a strong 20-13 lead in the second game. The Explorers forged a comeback to pull within one, 24-23, but the Knights won 30-27 to even the score.

La Salle came out strong in game three, pulling out to a 14-7 lead, and despite the Knights jumping back in the game (17-15), the Explorers won, 30-23. The Knights came back in a fourth game battle that was tied nine times before the Knights took the lead for good, winning, 30-25. Fairleigh Dickinson earned the match, battling to an 18-16 victory in the tie-breaker.

Junior Abby Means (Stevens, PA/Cocalico) led La Salle with kills. The Explorers also got an offensive push from Lauren Woods (Akron, OH/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) and Samantha Takacs (Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson) who dumped 13 kills apiece on the Knights.

Kristen Kelsey (Buda, TX/Jack C. Hays) contributed on both offense and defense for La Salle, landing 12 kills and posting 16 digs. Amanda Woods (Cincinnati, OH/McNicholas) followed suite, assisting on 59 kills for La Salle and adding 11 digs.

Also on defense, senior Caitlin DeJong (Lansing, IL/Marion Catholic) recorded a match-high 24 digs.

The Knights got a match-high 26 kills from Elena Schmidt, while Shannon Becker tallied 18 kills and a team-high 20 digs.

La Salle returns to the Tom Gola Arena Friday night when they get back to Atlantic 10 competition by hosting Duquesne at 7:00 p.m. followed by George Washington on Saturday at 5:00 pm