EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette College volleyball team battled the defending Patriot League champions Saturday afternoon, but ultimately fell to Colgate in three sets (23-25, 21-25, 21-25) inside Kirby Sports Center.
 
Freshman Carol Ulichney led all players with 13 kills and had five digs while senior Grace Steurer added six kills with 13 digs.
 
Lafayette carried a 15-13 advantage into the media timeout in the first set before Colgate scored four-straight to take the lead. After trading blows, the Leopards went on a 3-0 run to take a 22-21 lead and force a timeout.
 
Colgate would answer, scoring four of the next five points to clinch the first. Both teams hit well above .300 in the opener with the Raiders hitting .462 while the Leopards hit .316.
 
The visitors would go on a 4-0 midway through the second to take a 16-9 lead and never look back. They extended it to 24-18 late in the frame to force a Lafayette timeout before the Leopards were able to piece together three-straight with junior Katie Weston at the service line.
 
Weston would have a 24-dig afternoon with two service aces. Classmate Alyssa Vitale had 37 assists and three kills.
 
The Leopards woke up early in the third, jumping out to an 11-6 lead to force an early Colgate timeout. The Raiders used the timeout to their advantage, scoring the next four points and would eventually take the lead at 16-15.
 
It was back-and-forth from there, but a late 3-0 Colgate run would prove to be too much to close it out.
 
Sophomores Abby Nieporte and Natasha Zorbas each had seven kills while junior Gracie Gibson put down six, hitting .417.
 
Lafayette travels to south to take on Navy Friday night before facing Loyola on Saturday.