STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- In a thrilling, five set nonconference match, W&J outlasted Franciscan, 3-2, at the Finnegan Fieldhouse.

The Presidents (8-6) earned a 25-22 win in the first set before dropping the next two by a combined six points (25-21, 25-23). In the fourth set, W&J scored a 25-21 win to force the decisive fifth set, which the Presidents were able to break a 14-14 tie with the final two points of the match on a Taylor Freeman kill and attack error by the Barons. It marked the first five-setter for W&J since Oct. 11, 2014, a 3-2 loss at Grove City.

Trailing, 2-1, W&J fell behind by a 5-1 score early in the fourth set before chipping its way back into the game. Later, four straight points brought the Presidents within 13-12 and then five consecutive points, highlighted by two kills apiece from Nicole Bishwaty and Abigail Eich, to open up an 18-15 advantage. Franciscan (5-11) accounted for three of the next four points to get within one, 19-18, but four straight points from W&J made it a 23-18 game. The clinching points of the fourth set came on kills by Sarah Dindak and Brooke Lininger.

Aside from two three-point rushes by W&J, the fifth set was mainly back-and-forth with neither team able to hold serve. Freeman gave the Presidents the advantage with her 13th kill of the match at 14-14 and then an attack error sealed the win for W&J.

Five Presidents tallied nine or more kills, led by Bishwaty's 14 kills that were a part of her sixth double-double of the season (added 27 assists, second highest in the match behind teammate Emily Toy's 31). Lydic contributed a career-high 13 kills and a match-best .391 hitting percentage, while Freeman was there with her at 13 kills. Eich and Dindak each recorded nine kills.

Defensively, Allison Means posted a game-high 29 digs to lead three Presidents in double figures. Dindak added 13 and McKenzie Merenick notched 12 digs.

W&J returns to Presidents' Athletic Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 3 with a tri-match at Grove City (3 p.m.) with Westminster (1 p.m.).