Sept. 16, 2005

Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (www.lafayette.edu) - After three tight games, the Lafayette volleyball team dropped its second match of the season to Stony Brook, 3-0, at the Marist Red Fox Classic. The Leopards, who entered the game riding a seven-game winning streak, suffered their first loss since the season-opener on Sept. 2.

The Leopards opened the match hitting .351, but was unable to close the deal as The Seawolves walked away with a 30-27 victory. With the score knotted at 26, but two consecutive Lafayette attack errors opened the door and made it 28-26. A Catherine Herchenroder kill tallied the Leopards' final point of the game.

Although the Leopards started off the match hot, the team managed just seven kills in the second set, resulting in a 30-21 loss. Lafayette tied the game midway through, 13-13, but crucial errors down the stretch cost the set.

In what turned out to be the final game, the Leopards picked things up before falling 30-25 in the deciding game. Lafayette had the edge hitting .135 to Stony Brooks' .100, but again the Leopards struggled down the stretch. The Leopards found themselves down 16-18, while the Seawolves rattled off eight straight points to pull ahead 25-16. Lafayette climbed to within 25-20, but would never get any closer than a four-point differential.

Junior Veronica Canto-Ponce ended the day with 13 kills to lead the Leopards, which combined for 36 kills on the day. Junior Shannon Fisher hit for a match-best .667 on six kills to go with one block solo and three block assists.

Freshman setter Megan Carter led the team defensively with 10 digs to go with her 27 assists. Sophomore Michaela Donohue and freshman libero Kathleen Kretzmer chipped in with eight digs apiece.

The loss dropped the Leopards to 7-2 on the season, while Stony Brook evened its record at 4-4.

Lafayette returns to action on the tournament's final day, Sept. 17, as the team takes on Dartmouth at 10 a.m. and host Marist at noon.