NEW YORK – The Lafayette College volleyball team opened play in the Big Apple Tournament Friday night, losing in five sets (22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-19, 7-15) to the hosts Columbia University.
 
Sophomore Abby Nieporte led the way with 16 kills and five service aces while junior Katie Weston had an early season-high 2- digs with three assists.
 
The Leopards battled in the opening frame, falling behind early 17-10 before battling back to tie the set at 20 apiece when sophomore Abby Nieporte and freshman Hannah Ehrich-Pollock teamed up for the block to force the Columbia timeout.
 
After a 12-12 tie in the second set, Lafayette was able to steal momentum with a 5-0 run with Nieporte at the service line. The Leopards would go on to win the set when freshman Emily Gouldrup closed it out with an ace.
 
The third was a back-and-forth affair before Columbia was able to jump out a 19-14 lead. The Leopards were able to cut the deficit to three at 23-20 before the Lions scored back-to-back points to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
Ehrich-Pollock made the play of the third set, coming up with a massive rejection to make it 17-14, Lafayette, to force a Columbia timeout. The Lions would not go away, clawing back to make it 20-18, Lafayette, to force head coach Ryan Adams into a timeout.
 
Out of the break, freshman Carol Ulichney delivered a massive swing to stop the short Columbia outburst. Senior Grace Steurer and Ehrich-Pollock would team up on the block to close out the fourth and force a fifth set.
 
The hosts jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the final frame to force Lafayette into a timeout before the Leopards scored two of the next three points to get back into it. Columbia would answer, scoring the next two before the teams switched sides for the final time and continued its run with another point to force Lafayette into its final timeout.
 
The Lions hit .225 as a team, including .526 in the final set to outlast the Maroon and White.
 
Ehrich-Pollock was also in double figures with 10 kills and seven blocks while junior Gracie Gibson added nine kills and three rejections. Classmate Alyssa Vitale had 44 assists and eight digs.
 
 
The Leopards are right back to it Saturday morning, taking on St. Francis Brooklyn at 11 a.m. before facing Manhattan at 5 p.m. on the campus of Columbia University.