Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 When adversity strikes later in the season, the Franklin women's volleyball team will be able to look back at Saturday evening and know that they've handled just about anything that can be thrown at a team.

On the road, without hospitalized head coach Dillon Taylor, the Grizzlies picked up a three-set victory in their first match of the Quaker Classic at Wilmington. Then, with the clock pushing midnight and senior Trinity Schroeder shelved by a third-set ankle injury, they battled HCAC rival Manchester through five sets before taking a tough 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 24-26, 15-10 defeat.

Even though the team's season-opening unbeaten run came to an end, assistant coach Morgan Krause was incredibly proud of Franklin's efforts on the day. The Grizzlies were picked eighth in the HCAC's preseason poll, while the Spartans were third.

"It was a long day," Krause said, "and yet the girls were still able to power through and do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Without Dillon being here, it can be difficult, since he is such a huge energy driver ... but the girls were able to trust myself and each other and play some of the best volleyball they have all year."

The Grizzlies (4-1) came storming out of the gate in the first set against the Spartans, taking an 11-3 lead behind four kills from freshman Leah Middleton. Manchester (2-2) fought back to get as close as 21-19, but Franklin was able to finish it off. 

After the Spartans took both the second and third sets, Franklin showed some true grit in the fourth with Schroeder out of the match. Manchester trimmed a 20-14 deficit to one and eventually tied the set at 23-23 and 24-24, but Middleton registered a kill to put the Grizzlies in front and a Spartan error forced a decisive fifth.

Facing an early hole in the final set, Franklin got as close as 11-10 before Manchester picked up the last four points.

Kaitlyn Lavy had 16 kills in a losing effort for the Grizzlies, followed by McKenzie Schroeder's eight and Middleton's seven. Jayde Billings had 17 assists and Brionna Linkel 16, while Campbell Clark had 22 digs on the back row.

Earlier in the evening, the Grizzlies had stretched their win streak to four with a 25-22, 25-17, 25-21 sweep of the host Quakers.

The first set was tied a dozen times, the last at 22-22, before Franklin scored the last three points on a Lavy kill and service ace and a McKenzie Schroeder kill. The Grizzlies trailed early in the second set before scoring three straight points, the last a kill from Hope Moring, to take the lead for good at 14-12. In the final set, Franklin led wire to wire, starting with a 9-3 surge that was capped by consecutive kills from Moring and Lavy.

McKenzie Schroeder paced a balanced attack for the Grizzlies with nine kills, followed by Lavy (eight) and Moring (seven). Billings and Linkel had 15 assists apiece, with Billings adding three aces, and Linkel also had a team-high 10 digs.

Franklin's final match of the tournament will come Saturday afternoon (1 p.m.) against Alma.