WASHINGTON D.C. – The Lafayette College volleyball team dropped its match on Saturday afternoon to American, 3-0.

Senior Katrina Ruggiero led the way for the Leopards with nine kills. Freshman Ellie Carerra-Justiz followed behind her with five kills on the night.

American (22-7, 15-1) went up 4-0 quickly in the first set. The Leopards (13-18, 2-13 PL) would get on the board off a kill by Ruggiero to break the Eagles run but they would take control of the set back quickly and eventually close out the set with a five point scoring run to win it 25-12.

The second set would see the exact same final as the first, with the Leopards only scoring plays coming off kills by junior Madi Wahrmund, Ruggerio, senior Sonia Musso, Carrera-Justiz and attack errors by the Eagles.
Set three saw more of a back and forth battle between the two sides. American would get the first points on the board off  kill but Ruggiero answered right away with a kill of her own to tie it up at one each. The two sides would then trade points back-and-forth until American would break out into a four points scoring run to stretch their lead to four points, 7-3. The Leopards would break the Eagles run with a kill by Wahrmund and an attack error by the Eagles would bring the Leopards within two, 7-5.

A kill by Carrera-Justiz and two attack errors by the Eagles would tie the set up at 12 each until back-to-back kills by the Eagles and an attack error by the Leopards would give the Eagles the 15-12 lead.

American would eventually go on a five point scoring run to stretch their lead to 21-14. Lafayette would try to make a comeback with a four point scoring run of its own but it would be American who would eventually close out the set with a three point scoring run to win 25-20.

The Leopards will close out the 2019 season on Sunday afternoon against Navy in Annapolis at 2 p.m.