Sept. 21, 2005
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's volleyball team got back on track with a 3-0 win over Morgan State Wednesday night at the Kirby Sports Center, ending the Leopards' three-game losing skid.
Lafayette confidently stepped on the court in the opening set and did not waste any time getting the points on the board en route to a 30-20 win. The Leopards led by as many as nine, 25-16, late in the game. The Bears continued to chip away at the deficit, but the Leopards' held their composure and finished the game on a kill from senior Catherine Herchenroder, assisted by freshman setter Megan Carter.
In the second game, the Leopards took command midway through the set and began to pull away as Carter served for seven straight points to put her team up 28-15. For the second straight game, sophomore Michaela Donohue was an offensive juggernaut for the Leopards, providing five kills in each set. The Leopards took the game, 30-18.
In what would be the final game, the pesky Bears would not go away, as the teams fought to the final few plays. Lafayette came away with the 30-25 win, but Morgan State capitalized on five Leopard attack errors to keep the set within reach down the stretch. The Leopards owned a 26-22 lead, but a Lafayette service error and a Morgan State kill cut the lead to two, 26-24. The Leopards then capitalized on three consecutive errors, as sophomore Karla Barbiche served for three points. Sophomore Venessa Wilcox put the game away, putting down a Morgan State overpass for the kill.
Lafayette hit for .326 with 37 kills, including a match-high .433 in game two. Five Leopards hit above .300, while the team held the Bears to a .132 on the night.
Junior Veronica Canto-Ponce made the most of her touches, hitting .400 on five kills to go with two total blocks. Donohue led the Leopards with 10 kills (.364), all registered in the first two games. She completed the double-double with 10 defensive digs. Wilcox (.385), Herchenroder (.417) and junior Shannon Fisher (.385) all hit above the .300 plateau.
Carter finished put up 30 assists in the match, bringing her season total to 447.
Lafayette improved to 8-4 on the season, while Morgan State fell to 3-11.
The Leopards open Patriot League play Sept. 23-24, as the team hosts Holy Cross and Army, respectively. The team will square off with the Crusaders at 7 p.m. Friday and welcome Army at 4 p.m. Saturday.
