EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette volleyball team completed a three set comeback to take down Holy Cross in five sets on Friday night to win their first Patriot League match of the season and first since 2017 to improve to 12-8 overall and 1-3 in conference action.

"I'm glad we battled, even being down 0-2," head coach Ryan Adams said, "It's the belief and the capability that the players around you and just knowing that we can do it and hanging in."

The Leopards were led by sophomore Leanna Deegan with 15 kills and 27 total attacks. Sophomore Grace Tulevech finished the night with 12 kills and 38 total attacks while freshman Grace Steurer recorded a season and career-high 11 kills.

Holy Cross (4-15, (0-5)) came out strong in the first set, outhitting Lafayette (12-8, (1-3)) .741 to .300, easily getting the first set victory, 25-18.

Set two saw more a battle between the two teams as the set was tied three times with Lafayette only taking the lead once allowing the Crusaders to take it by a close 26-24.

With the match victory for the Crusaders on the line, Holy Cross went into the media timeout up 15-11. But Steurer's four kills and Deegans three in the second half of the set helped push the Leopards to win the third set, 25-21.

The Leopards took a quick 1-0 lead in the fourth set but the Crusaders tied it up three times early before the Leopards were able to take a 4-3 lead. Holy Cross tied it back up at 10 each but a four point scoring run pushed the Leopards lead to 14-10 and from there, didn't allow Holy Cross to tie or take the lead. They would win the set 25-22 to force a 15 point fifth set.

Holy Cross claimed the first point in the final set but the Leopards proceeded to go on a five point scoring run to put their lead to 5-1 and from there was able to secure the fifth set victory, 15-11.  

"We've been working a lot in practice on coming back," Deegan said, "We were going all out. We had nothing to lose."

Tonight's win marks the first time the Leopards have won a Patriot League match since September 22, 2017 when they beat Holy Cross 3-1in Easton. The five set victory also marks the teams fifth five set match this season, winning four of the five and only dropping one to Lehigh at the start of conference action.  

Lafayette is back in action tomorrow afternoon, welcoming Colgate to Kirby. The Raiders improved their record to 6-0 in conference play Friday night, being Lehigh in three straight sets. Tomorrow's match is also volleyball's annual Athlete Ally game, whose mission is to end homophobia and transphobia in sports and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQ equality.