HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team outlasted visiting Franklin & Marshall College, 3-2, in Centennial Conference action Saturday afternoon at Gooding Arena. Later in the day the Fords fell 3-2 to Richard Stockton College in non-conference action.

Haverford (13-5, 4-1 CC) moved into a three-way tie for first place by handing the Diplomats (10-12, 4-1) their first conference loss of the season.

After edging the Dips in set one (27-25), the Fords dropped sets two and three by narrow margins (21-25, 22-25). While F&M looked to close Haverford out in set four, Haverford had other ideas and opened an early 12-3 lead. The Diplomats closed to within two, 14-12, but would get no closer as Nina Mutty's kill put the finishing touches on the 25-21 victory.

Feeding off the emotion of the set-four win, the Fords jumped out to an 11-6 advantage in the deciding fifth set. An ensuing timeout by F&M did little to quiet Haverford's attack as it registered four of the next five points to secure the 15-7 victory in the final set of the match.

Meg O'Day (13), Keri Godbe (13), Emily Mills (10) and Mutty (10) each registered double figures in kills. Mutty also tied her career high with five service aces. Olivia Walsh contributed 40 assists.

Mutty and sophomore Madison Fuelling led the outstanding defensive effort with 23 and 21 digs, respectively. Olivia Coburn-Flynn was imposing at the net with four block assists.

Julie Harvey paced F&M with 15 kills while Alyssa Sanchez tallied 18 digs.

In the final match of the day, the Fords gave the Ospreys (17-4) a battle before falling in a tough non-conference contest.

Dropping a tight set one (20-25), Haverford rallied to take sets two and three (25-22, 25-23) against Richard Stockton--the perennial heavyweight of the New Jersey Athletic Conference that is in the hunt for its fifth consecutive conference crown this season.

Winning their seventh straight match, the Ospreys edged the young Fords in the fourth and fifth set (24-26, 10-15).

Godbe (15 kills), O'Day (13) and Mutty (10) led the balanced attack. Walsh accounted for 41 of Haverford's 48 assists of the contest.

Fuelling was one of five Fords to register double-digits in digs as she took match-high honors with 29. O'Day also chipped in on defense with five block assists.

Kasey Hennecke and Nicole Serekian each tallied 16 kills to lead Stockton. Ashley Gubista contributed 27 digs.

Looking to stay in first place in the Centennial, Haverford welcomes McDaniel College on Wednesday night. The match begins at 7:30 p.m.