Oct. 14, 2011
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette volleyball team went toe-to-toe with defending Patriot League Champion American on Friday night at Kirby Sports Center, falling to the visiting Eagles in straight sets by scores of 25-16, 25-12 and 25-22.
The Leopards now stand at 7-11 overall and 0-6 in the Patriot League. American improves to 13-9 on the season and maintains its perfect League mark at 6-0.
Kaitlynn Zoller led the Leopards' offense with eight kills. Camissa Beghou added five with a .308 hitting percentage (5-1-13), and Alana Taylor notched four kills and hit .375 (4-1-8). Molly Belcher and Karissa Ciliento each recorded two kills and Alexandra Russo and Danielle Towslee chipped in with one finisher apiece. Belcher ran the offense and dished out 18 assists.
Defensively, freshman Michelle Woodworth had a team-best six digs. Zoller added five digs, and Belcher contributed with four from the back row. Lafayette's lone block came from a pair of freshmen as Towslee and Beghou teamed up for a stuff.
The Leopards, who entered the week ranked eighth in the NCAA with 1.82 service aces per set, improved that figure with nine winners against the Eagles. Zoller and Belcher landed two aces apiece, while Towslee, Russo, Woodworth, Ciliento and Sarah Frohnapfel each picked up one.
After the Eagles went on early runs and never looked back in both of the first two sets, Lafayette jumped out two a 5-0 lead - sparked by two Belcher aces - in set three. American fought back to knot the match at 8-8 and maintained a slim lead for the remainder of the frame. The Leopards would chisel a 21-17 deficit to a single point at 22-21, but the Eagles won three of the final four rallies to polish off the frame and the match.
American's Rebecca Heath led all players with 13 kills (13-1-19, .639). Alexandra Hammer distributed a match-high 32 assists and Monika Smidova led the way in the back row with nine digs.
Lafayette returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. against Navy. The Midshipmen fell, 3-0, at Lehigh this evening to move to 6-15 overall and 1-5 in the Patriot League.
