EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette hosted Army on Saturday at Kirby Sports Center, with the Black Knights walking away with a 3-2 match victory. Senior Carol Ulichney turned in 13 kills to pace the Maroon and White. Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo and Destiny McKenzie finished with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

The Leopards started off strong, collecting a 14-10 advantage in the opening set. Chloe Murakami slapped down a kill to begin an eight-point run for the visitors (18-14). Over the spurt, Army gained five of its points via Lafayette attack errors. Mbeche-Odhiambo kick-started a Leopard response with one of her two kills in set one. The Maroon and White's six-run stretch featured a pair of aces from Ulichney that contributed towards retaking a 20-18 lead. Immediately after, the lead changed hands once again, with Mackenzie Lynch tallying two kills (22-20). Lafayette wrapped up the set within the next six points, using a kill and ace from McKenzie to solidify a 25-23 final.

Lafayette jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in set two, powered by a trio of service aces from Mackenzie Calhoun. Army stormed back shortly after behind a six-point rally for a 11-8 advantage. In the middle of the set, the score was knotted at 15 prior to a pair of kills from Murakami (17-15). Murakami propelled the Black Knight offense forward in set two with seven of her 20 kills in the match. As a team, Army swatted down 17 kills in the period. Murakami wrapped up the second set, 25-21, with back-to-back kills.

The third set of the match went in favor of the visitors, 25-16. The Black Knights hit a blistering .323, to Lafayette's .054. Army notched 11 kills in the set from four different players. Murakami led with five, while Lynch, Juliette Myrick and Victoria Kasanganay had two each. Ulichney recorded five kills in set three, in addition to her .300 hitting percentage.

Freshman Jada Aksu made her presence known in the fourth set, racking up six kills en route to a 25-22 final in the period. The span featured nine ties and a single lead change. After the first point was granted to the Black Knights courtesy of a Marin Harvey kill, the Leopards took a 2-1 lead and never looked back. In the frame, Sophia Wilson added in six assists. Senior Emily Gouldrup collected eight digs in the set and finished with 32 in the match.

The decisive fifth set witnessed both teams trade scores throughout the set, prior to short spurts of three and two points allowed Army to win the frame 15-11 and the match 3-2.

The Leopards remain at home on Sunday, matching up against Colgate at 5 p.m. for senior day.


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