FRANKLIN – The Franklin volleyball team made their long-awaited home debut on Thursday (Sept. 19) night, hosting the Kenyon Owls inside Franklin's Spurlock Center.
 
The Grizzlies (5-8) were bolstered by a pair of career performances, with junior Kaitlyn Lavy and sophomore Brionna Linkel setting new career highs as Franklin bested the Owls (5-9) in four sets, 25-21, 25-14, 17-25, 25-23.
 
Lavy put down a personal best 23 kills and set a new career best with six aces while Linkel handed out a career-high 40 assists on the night as Franklin sent a home crowd eager to finally see their team home happy.
 
Set One: Franklin 25 – Kenyon 21
The teams traded 4-0 runs to open the set and the game stayed close until Franklin rattled off six straight points to turn a 12-10 deficit into a 16-12 lead. Neither side would record more than two straight points the rest of the way, and Lavy finished things off with back-to-back kills to seal the win.
 
Set Two: Franklin 25 – Kenyon 14
The Grizzlies closed out game two by taking 10 of its final 14 points to open up a two-set lead. The hosts hit a game-high .407 in set two to extend their lead, with the defense keeping the Owls to a game-low .148 on the attack.
 
Set Three: Kenyon 25 – Franklin 17
The Owls kept the game alive by closing out game three on a 12-2 run, holding Franklin's attack to .054 swinging for the set.
 
Set Four: Franklin 25 – Kenyon 23
A back and forth set that produced double digit ties and six lead changes, Franklin faced a 22-20 deficit before racking up four straight points to force match point. The Owls got back within one before a Kenyon service error spelled the end of the night and Franklin win.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Lavy's 23 kills mark the first time this year a Franklin attacker surpassed 20 in a game and her six kills are most in a game by anyone this season.
-Linkel recorded the first 40-assist game of her career, adding three kills, eight digs and one ace.
-McKenzie Schroeder finished with 11 kills with sister Trinity Schroeder adding nine kills from the middle.
-Campbell Clark led the back line with 13 digs, followed by nine from Hannah Phegley and Charlotte Goto.
 
Up Next
The Grizzlies get right back at it on Friday (Sept. 20), heading to Decatur, Ill. for the Millikin Invitational. Franklin will play host Millikin at 4:00 p.m. before facing Knox College at 6:15 p.m.