Sept. 23, 2006
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - For the first time in over a decade, the Lafayette volleyball team defeated Navy, moving its Patriot League record to 1-1. A total team effort propelled the Leopards to a 3-0 (30-25, 30-26, 30-23) triumph late Saturday afternoon at Kirby Sports Center.
Lafayette last beat Navy by a 3-2 margin on Nov. 12, 1995. The Leopards improved to 6-5 overall and have won six of their last seven matches.
The scored seesawed to start the match, setting the tone for a back-and-forth game one. Although the Leopards only trailed on five different occasions, Navy remained too close for comfort until late in the game. A Jessie Sims kill for the Mids knotted the score at 18-18, but Lafayette cranked up the tempo down the stretch and never fell behind from that point. Navy closed the gap to three, 24-21, but kills from freshman outside hitter Cara Mulholland and junior middle blocker Maura Kelly added distance. Senior right side hitter Veronica Canto-Ponce's tip made it 29-25, while junior outside hitter Michaela Donohue ended the game with a blast to the opposite corner.
Lafayette took control early and never trailed in the second game en route to a 30-26 win. With the score tied at four all, freshman libero Kari Horn stepped to the line and served for six straight points, including a pair of aces to cap the run and give her team a 9-4 cushion early on. Lafayette took seven-point twice midway through the game, capitalizing on Navy errors. Navy closed the game to three, 23-20, but an untouched kill from freshman setter Ashton Rossi to senior middle Shannon Fisher halted the Mids' push. Another Fisher kill gave the Leopards a 27-20 lead late in the action, and similar strikes from Canto-Ponce and Kelly capped the win.
Navy jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in game three, but four straight service points from sophomore Karla Barbiche evened the score. The game featured six ties and four lead changes until the Leopards established a 14-13 advantage midway through, and the team never fell behind from there. The Mids pressured Lafayette to a 26-23 score, but the Leopards held Navy scoreless down the stretch to take the game, 30-23. Kills from sophomore setter Megan Carter to Canto-Ponce and Donohue highlighted the stretch for the Leopards.
Lafayette hit for a .212 attack percentage, while holding Navy to .119 on the afternoon. Three players topped the double-figure plateau kills, while Donohue (12 kills, 14 digs) and Canto-Ponce (11 kills, 13 digs) both recorded double-doubles. Mulholland contributed 12 kills in the effort. Horn amassed a match-high 23 defensive digs, while Rossi earned 39 assists.
Sims led Navy with 12 kills, while Nikki England and Rachel Dougherty managed nine apiece.
Lafayette returns to the Kirby Sports Center court for a non-conference battle with St. Francis (N.Y.) on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.
