Oct. 4, 2006
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - It was a tough battle for Lafayette (10-5) all night long, but in the end the Leopards edged the New Jersey Institute of Technology (4-15), 3-1, on Wednesday night in non-league volleyball action at Kirby Sports Center.
The win marked the Leopards' fifth straight, while the team has come out on top in ten of its last 11 tests. NJIT tied the match at 1-1 with an intense 30-27 win in game two, but the Leopards maintained composure and held on to win games three (30-25) and four (30-18).
At the start of game one, the advantage seemed to be in Lafayette's favor, as the Leopards cruised to a 6-1 lead early following five straight service points from junior Karla Barbiche. However, the Highlanders surged back, pulling within 9-5 on a kill from Kasha Hornstein. Lafayette quickly quieted the rally with a kill from junior middle Maura Kelly and an untouched ace at the hands of senior Veronica Canto-Ponce on the next two possessions. The Leopards maintained a healthy lead from there, never allowing NJIT back within less than four, 19-15, en route to a 30-21 win.
Game two commenced with a different pace, as the teams battled through 13 ties and neither team led by more than four halfway through. Clinging to a 27-26 lead late, NJIT held on and outscored Lafayette 3-1 to take game two by a tight 30-27 score.
The Leopards bounced back in a similar game three, edging the Highlanders, 30-25. An NJIT error knotted the score at 11-11, and Lafayette took over from there. The Leopards scored 13 of the ensuing 18 points to pull ahead 24-16 on one of Canto-Ponce's four aces on the night. The Highlanders made a late run, but it was Lafayette benefiting from NJIT errors and kills from senior Shannon Fisher and junior Michaela Donohue that sealed the win.
Lafayette kept the momentum flowing into the fourth session, but again NJIT was battling hard for a deciding game. The teams' final tie came at 11-all when Lafayette answered the Highlanders' run with six unanswered points, all served up by freshman libero Kari Horn. Horn had back-to-back aces to highlight the stretch. The Leopards' kept control from there, while the Highlanders unraveled in a 30-18 defeat. Lafayette hit for a match-high .378 in the game, while holding NJIT to a .031 mark.
Canto-Ponce led all players with season-high 23 kills and hit for a .319 percentage. She completed her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs to go with five assists, four aces and three blocks. Donohue and Fisher managed 12 kills apiece, as Donohue notched her fifth double-double on the year with 14 digs. Kelly and sophomore Ainhoa Barturen registered eight and five kills, respectively.
Horn led the Leopards with 19 digs, while freshman Ashton Rossi and sophomore Megan Carter collected 34 and 24 assists, respectively.
The Leopards turn their attention back to the Patriot League slate with a showdown with archrival Lehigh on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa.
