Box Score

Easton, Pa. - The Leopards split the opening two matches of the Crosstown Tournament on Friday, a 3-2 win over Delaware State and a 3-0 loss to Marist in the nightcap. Elizabeth Walsh paced the attack with 21 kills in the two matches.

Lafayette started the night with a thrilling 3-2 win over Delaware State. With the opening set tied at seven, the Leoaprds used a 14-4 spurt to take a commanding 21-11 lead. Danielle Towslee highlighted the run with three kills, while Katy Rooney had a pair of blocks. Lafayette took the opening set on a Walsh kill, 25-16.

In the second set, Lafayette took an early lead on a block assist from Katherine Stevens and Kelly Flynn to make it 4-2. The Leopards opened up an 18-12 advantage on blocks from Rooney and Stevens, and Flynn and Walsh. The Hornets responded with a 14-6 run to steal the second set, 26-24.

The Leopards answered in the third game, mounting a comeback after trailing 11-8 early. Kills from Rooney and Walsh tied the match at 14. Another Walsh kill followed by a Flynn block and a Towslee ace gave Lafayette an 18-14 lead, and the Leopards took the third set, 25-20.

The two teams stayed within in two points of each other in the fourth set, but Delaware State was able to hold on for a 25-23 win. Jet Manzi had a game-high five kills in the set for the Leopards.

The fifth and deciding set was back and forth with both teams serving for the match on multiple occasions. The Leopards held an early 10-6 edge, but Delaware State came storming back to tie the match at 14. Kills from Manzi and Walsh finished off the Hornets, as the Leopards took the set, 21-19 and the match, 3-0.

In the nightcap, Marist used an 8-2 run to open up a 15-9 lead midway through the frame. The Red Foxes would go on to take the opening set, 25-15. Towslee and Manzi each came away with a pair of kills in the set. The Red Foxes took the second set, 25-7.

The third and final set was a closely contested game that the Red Foxes would take 32-30. With Towslee serving, the Leopards rattled off four straight points to take a 22-19 lead. Marist came back and scored five of the next seven points to tie the score at 24.

A block from Evans and Towslee gave the Leopards set point, but the Red Foxes would get a kill on the next point to keep the set going. Another block from Towlsee and Katie Kidder put the Leopards ahead 27-26. Marist would take a 30-29 lead, but a Rooney kill would tie the set at 30. The Red Foxes scored the next two points to take the third set and the match.

Lafayette finishes the Crosstown tournament on Saturday morning against Saint Peter's.