Sept. 30, 2005
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's volleyball team fell in a tough 3-2 match at Patriot League foe, Navy, Friday night at MacDonough Hall. The Leopards went toe-to-toe with Navy, dropping the close match 30-28, 22-30, 30-20, 28-30, 8-15.
The Leopards, an early underdog, hung with the Midshipmen early in the match, taking the first game 30-28. The Leopards erased a 2-0 Navy lead and scored eight straight points to go ahead 8-2. Navy bounced back and tied the game, 9-9, but Lafayette was able to equal Navy's points down the stretch and hang on for the tight 30-28 win.
Lafayette held their momentum heading into game two, jumping out to leads of 7-2 and 11-5. However, the Mids responded and pulled within 14-13 midway through. Navy's Ashley Musser then stepped to the line and served for seven straight points to jump ahead of the Leopards, 20-14. Lafayette pulled to within 24-21 only to see Navy end the game riding a 6-1 run to win 30-22.
Game three opened in a similar fashion, as the teams exchanged points early on before Navy built a 16-7 lead that the Mids would not relinquish. Lafayette never got within more than five down the stretch, as Navy took the game 30-20.
The Leopards came out firing in game four as the team captured an early 5-1 lead, but Navy would respond to knot it at 8-8. The remainder of the game would feature 13 ties until the bitter end with the scoreboard reading 28-28. Lafayette scored a pair of points to take the game, forcing the team's third straight five-game match.
What momentum the Leopards had coming out of game four, the team struggled to maintain the surge in game five. Navy handed the Leopards a 15-8 loss, which cost Lafayette the match.
Junior Veronica Canto-Ponce was the standout for Lafayette, finishing with 14 kills to go with three aces and 14 digs. Sophomore Michaela Donohue followed up with 12 kills and a team-high 24 digs. Juniors Shannon Fisher and Maura Kelly chipped in with six kills and five block assists apiece.
Freshman setter Megan Carter put up 38 assists, while registering 11 digs and two kills.
The loss dropped the Leopards to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in the PL. Navy improved to 9-5 on the season and 2-2 in league play.
Lafayette returns to action tomorrow as the team travels to Washington, D.C. to take on PL powerhouse and defending champion American at 2:00 p.m.
