Nov. 10, 2007
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette women's volleyball team concluded the 2007 season with a tough, 3-0 loss to Patriot League opponent American on Saturday afternoon. The team's three seniors--Karla Barbiche, Michaela Donohue and Maura Kelly--were honored prior to the start of the match.
Kelly had a team-best 10 kills against the first-place Eagles. Freshman Kayly Elmer was close behind with eight. Donohue and junior Megan Carter had double figures in digs with 11 and 10, respectively. Carter also led both teams in assists with 28. Donohue wrapped up her Lafayette career with 1,610 kills, tops in both the Lafayette and Patriot League record books.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead (9-2) and seemed to be in control of the game but the Leopards mounted a comeback. Lafayette took the lead at 15-14 on a kill by Kelly. Both teams would continue to take their shares of the lead for the remainder of the opening game. American and Lafayette at several points both held two-point leads before the Eagles took the lead for good at 26-25. The Eagles scored four of the final five points to win the first game, 30-26.
American opened the second game by taking a 3-1 lead but just like in the first game, the Leopards battled back and tied the match at four on a kill by junior Ainhoa Barturen. The Eagles went ahead 6-5 on a kill by Cassandra Ricketts and would hold onto that lead for the remainder of the game. American held a six-point lead at 18-12 and although Lafayette would close that gap to just two (20-18) after a kill by freshman Katrina Racibarskas, the Eagles held on for the 30-21 win.
The third and final game started out closely, as the teams were knotted at four early in the action. A kill by Kelly tied the score again (10-10) but a kill by American's Claire Recht gave the Eagles a 13-12 edge. American would not relinquish that lead, as the Leopards would manage only four more points and the Eagles went on to the 30-15 win.
Match Notes:
* Lafayette finished the season with an overall record of 14-18, marking the fourth-straight year of double digit wins for the Leopards.
* The team will return 12 letterwinners next season.
