The Muhlenberg volleyball team acquitted itself well in its Centennial Conference playoff match.
 
The sixth-seeded Mules (14-11) fell to third-seeded Franklin & Marshall in four sets, three of which were extremely close. The Mules' 25-22 win in the third set was their first against the Diplomats since 2018 and their first in a CC playoff match since 2017.
 
Muhlenberg overcame a 16-11 deficit to tie the first set at 23-all before F&M scored the final two points.
 
The Diplomats (19-6) looked like they were on their way to a sweep when they ran away with the second set, 25-7, and jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third set, but the Mules regrouped. Three kills by sophomore Christina Marcin in a span of five points highlighted a 6-1 run that gave Muhlenberg an 11-10 lead.
 
F&M went back out in front, 16-12, but the Mules reeled off the next eight points, including three straight kills by junior Esmae Oehler. The Diplomats closed to within 24-22, but a kill by senior Isabella Pontrelli finished off the set.
 
Muhlenberg threatened to force a fifth set when it went on a 6-0 run with Oehler serving to take a 14-11 lead in the fourth. F&M responded with the next five points to grab the lead back, and it was 16-16 before the Diplomats scored four straight points to go ahead for good.
 
Marcin (pictured above) led the Mules with 12 kills, while junior Rachel Jacobs recorded 9 in only 21 attempts.
 
Senior Alyssa Faville pulled up 29 digs, finishing her career in second place on the Mules' all-time list with 1,459. She also became the first Muhlenberg player with two seasons of at least 500 digs.
 
Freshman Jenny Ryan had 27 assists and 17 digs.