EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette College volleyball team returned to Kirby Sports Center Wednesday night and put on a dominant performance, sweeping Saint Peter's (25-9, 25-14, 27-25) to open its home schedule.
 
Sophomore Abby Nieporte hit .357 with 15 kills and had her second-consecutive nine-ace performance to lead the Leopards' attack. Classmate Phoebe Glass added eight kills, hitting .350, while junior Katie Weston had 15 digs and six assists.
 
Lafayette got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 3-0 lead before really taking control of the set with a 6-0 run with Weston at the service line. The Leopards would go on another 6-0 run to make it 24-8 before junior Gracie Gibson would close the frame out with a kill.
 
Set two was back-and-forth early before Lafayette rattled off five-unanswered to make it 17-10 with sophomore Anna Penman at the service line. Another 4-0 Lafayette run would sandwich a Peacocks' point and the Leopards would close out the frame by forcing back-to-back Saint Peter's attacking errors.
 
After a pair of one-sided sets, the third would feature 11 ties and five lead changes as the visitors would hit .312 in the final frame to force it to extra points. Lafayette would settle down and Penman's dump and Nieporte's kill would close out the match.
 
Penman and Junior Alyssa Vitale would split time as the primary setter, assisting on 23 and 11 Lafayette kills, respectively. Freshman Carol Ulichney would record six kills, hitting .300.
 
The Leopards had 13 service aces on the night while surrendering zero to the Peacocks.
 
Patriot League play begins Friday as the Rivalry comes to College Hill when Lafayette hosts Lehigh at 6 p.m. inside Kirby Sports Center and on ESPN+.