Nov. 6, 2004
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette won the second game, 30-25, but Army captured the third 30-26 and pulled out the fourth game, 31-29, to give the Black Knights a hard-fought Patriot League volleyball victory on Saturday afternoon.
Army (15-8, 10-2 PL), who clinched a berth in the league tournament with a win last night at Lehigh, won the first game 30-19 by hitting .457, with 19 kills on 35 attacks.
The Leopards (14-12, 5-7 PL) were down 22-24 in the second but won four straight points on the serve of senior Heidi Olichwier, and the final four behind freshman Michaela Donohue. Sophomore Veronica Canto-Ponce, who finished with 17 kills, had five kills on eight attacks in the 30-26 game two win.
The Black Knights made use of a similar run in the third, pulling away from an 18-18 tie with a stretch of nine out of 11 points to create a 27-20 advantage. Eileen Cassidy paced Army with 17 kills in the match, including eight on 13 error-free attacks in the third.
The fourth game was a microcosm of the entire match. Army sprinted to a 6-0 lead, with setter Abby Casciato firing a pair of aces, before Lafayette answered to go ahead 8-7. Trailing 14-15, Olichwier served five straight points which included two of her match-high six aces to give the Leopards a 19-15 advantage.
Lafayette maintained a small lead until earning a game point at 29-28, but Army didn't go away. A kill following one of the longest rallies of the match knotted the score at 29-29, and the Black Knights earned a match point with a service ace before winning it with another kill.
Sophomore Meagan Martino established a career-high with 11 kills, while Canto-Ponce registered her 10th double-double with 13 digs and the 17 kills. Olichwier had 43 assists and 18 digs, as well as six aces.
Donohue posted 19 digs to give her 389 this season, passing the school record of 375 set by junior Catherine Herchenroder in 2003. The freshman outside hitter had 10 kills for her third straight double-double and eighth of the season. Freshman Lauren Dalsky had 20 digs after recording 23 on Friday night.
Casciato led Army with 10 kills on 17 attacks, to go with 40 assists, three aces and four blocks. Caitlin Machon contributed 13 kills, 12 digs and five blocks.
Lafayette will host Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Senior Night festivities will honor Olichwier, Erin Brune and student-assistant coach Kate Walkenhorst before the match, which starts at 7 p.m.
The Leopards will travel to Annapolis, Md. to play Navy on Friday, Nov. 10 in a Patriot League showdown that will have a say in determining the final playoff spot. Lafayette will play at American on Saturday.
