LORETTO, Pa. - Lafayette dropped a pair of matches in the Red Flash Classic on Saturday evening, falling to Siena (3-1) and St. Francis (3-2).

A trio of Leopards set new career bests in the contests. Senior Abby Nicholson recorded 11 kills against Siena, surpassing her previous mark of six. A pair of sophomores paved the way for the Lafayette offense during Saturday's nightcap against St. Francis. A day after racking up 18 kills, Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo topped her performance on Friday with 20 kills, while Destiny McKenzie tallied 15 kills of her own.

The Maroon and White started the final day of the event facing off against Siena. The Saints won the match in four sets, but not before the Leopards stole the second set. Siena jumped out to an early 4-1 advantage, forcing Lafayette to claw its way back. Spurred by a service error, the Leopards gained the lead (5-4), capitalizing off of consecutive kills from Mbeche-Odhiambo. A few points later, newcomer Jada Aksu sparked a five-point spurt, pushing the Maroon and White's lead to 12-7. Siena responded immediately, using Gabrielle Wire's kill to spark a seven-point swing (16-14). Senior Carol Ulichney began Lafayette's second five-point run of the match before the Saints knotted things up at 19 apiece. The Leopards took control down the stretch, relying on a kills from Hannah Ehrich-Pollock and Ally Feczko to close the set out. 

Game two against the hosts was a back and forth match that needed five sets to determine a victor, the Leopards' second five-set match of the weekend. St. Francis captured the first set 26-24. The following sets belonged to Lafayette (25-21, 25-13). Set three was good to the Maroon and White, as Lafayette rattled off nine unanswered points to take a 2-1 set lead entering the fourth. The Red Flash answered with a 25-20 win, forcing a winner-take-all fifth set. St. Francis began the set by collecting six of the first seven points. The Leopards' patient approach helped ease the deficit, as two errors cut into the Red Flash lead. Lafayette fought its way back into the set, closing in within two points (12-10). A pair of kills from Kori McClure in the home stretch sealed the final for Saint Francis, securing a 15-12 win.

The Leopards travel to Baltimore on Friday for the Charm City Classic, with the Maroon and White playing four games in a two-day span.


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