Box Score

Philadelphia, Pa. -- The Lafayette women's volleyball team fell to the Explorers of La Salle University 3-0 in the second match of its young season Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Pa.

The opening set was a back and forth affair between the two sides as La Salle jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. The Leopards responded with three straight points including a Katie Kidder ace to bring the score to 7-5. The set would be neck and neck from that point forward, as the score was tied four separate times. The Explorers took control of the match after the score was knotted at 17-17, as they rattled off five straight points to bring the score to 22-17, forcing a Lafayette timeout. The Leopards would get two points back but La Salle would hold on to win the first set 25-18.

The second set started out with more of the same, with neither team gaining much momentum. Two three-point runs by La Salle gave them a 12-6 lead, which eventually grew to nine as the score sat at 18-9. The Maroon and White would keep chipping away at La Salle's lead, taking advantage of attacking errors by the Explorers. A kill from senior Tori Smith brought the score to 23-19. Lafayette would cede one more point to bring the score to 24-16 before siding out. Sophomore Carly Kutschke came to the service line and helped guide the Leopards on a 4-0 run to force an Explorers timeout with the score sitting at 24-21. The Leopards would put one more point on the board, but La Salle held on to take the set 25-22.

The Explorers came out firing in the third set, racing out to a 9-4 lead and forcing a Leopards timeout. Both sides could not piece together any long runs after the initial time out, and two straight points from Lafayette brought the score to 16-12. Two straight kills by the Explorers forced Lafayette to call another timeout, but the damage continued after the break as La Salle extended their lead to 22-13. The Leopards pushed five more points across the board, but the early lead by the Explorers proved to be too much to overcome, and the Explorers won the set 25-18 and the match 3-0.

La Salle held the overall lead in kills with 43 as compared to Lafayette's 23. The Explorers ended the match with the edge in digs 71-53. Tori Smith led the way for the Leopards with eight kills, while Jenna Bailey posted 18 assists.

Lafayette takes the court again this Friday, Sep. 1 to start the Crosstown Tournament in a 7 p.m. contest against Central Connecticut.