Oct. 7, 2005

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's volleyball team came up just short, as the team was not able to overcome a potent Bucknell offense Friday night at Davis Gym. In a valiant effort against the Bison, who stand fourth in the Patriot League, the Leopards fell 3-0 (30-21, 30-28, 30-28).

The Leopards got off to a slow start in game one, hitting just 10 percent to Bucknell's 31 percent. The Bison scored the first three points of the match and were able to hold off Lafayette over the remainder of the session. Despite climbing to within one, 7-6, on a kill from sophomore Venessa Wilcox, the Leopards struggled to gain consistency and fell 30-21.

In game two, Lafayette was able to find its rhythm before falling in a tight 30-28 contest. Lafayette scored its first lead of the day as freshman setter Megan Carter found junior hitter Veronica Canto-Ponce for the kill to go up 4-3. The Leopards enjoyed leads of 13-9 and 14-10, and continued to hold the upper hand midway through until a Lafayette error knotted the score, 26-26. From there, the Bison outscored the Leopards 4-2 and ended the game on a kill from Kristin Sydlowski.

The third game resembled the second, but this time around Lafayette found itself just short to open the game. Trailing by as many as five, 13-8, the Leopards found their groove behind a kill from Canto-Ponce to tie it up, 14-14. On the ensuing play, senior Catherine Herchenroder drilled a kill to the floor to give the Leopards' their first lead of the game at 15-14. Over the next 11 plays, the score would be tied five times before Bucknell began to pull ahead. Late in the game, the Bison held a 27-21 lead, but the pesky Leopards would not go away. Lafayette actually outscored the Bison, 7-3, down the stretch, but the team was unable to hold off Buckell en route to its second 30-28 win of the night.

Despite struggling offensively in game one, Lafayette rebounded and hit for 17 percent with 48 kills on the night. Bucknell hit 29 percent, while registering 50 kills.

Canto-Ponce proved to be the Leopards most potent offensive threat, as she finished the night with a match-high 18 kills (29 percent). Ranked 13th nationally for service aces per game, Canto-Ponce added two more, while chipping in with seven digs.

Herchenroder and junior Shannon Fisher registered nine kills apiece for 35 and 33 percent, respectively. Carter ended the night with a match-best 36 assists.

With the loss, Lafayette fell to 10-8 on the season and 1-4 in Patriot League play. Bucknell improved to 12-6 overall and 4-2 in the league.

The Leopards return to action tomorrow as the team travels to Colgate for a league match-up at 4:00 p.m.