Sept. 12, 2008
Final Stats
EASTON, PA. - Behind two sets to one, the Marist volleyball team held the Lafayette Leopards to a .125 hitting percentage to take the fourth set 25-20 and force a deciding fifth set on Friday night at the Kirby Sports Center. Lafayette would not be denied on their home floor, hitting .429 in the fifth to win the set 15-8 and the match 3-2. The Red Foxes are now 2-8 on the season.
Junior outside hitter Alexandra Schultze (Austin, Texas) led Marist with 17 kills, hitting .222 on the night. Sophomore Lindsey Schmid (Austin, Texas) added 14 kills with a team-high .333 hitting percentage. Senior Kelsey Schaefer (Maria Stein, Ohio) had a double-double Friday night with 10 kills and a team-high 18 digs.
The Red Foxes opened the first set on fire, taking a 10-2 lead highlighted by three kills from Dawn Jan (Belleville, N.J.) to take a 17-7 lead. Lafayette got within three at 22-19 with a kill from Ally Taylor, but Schultze answered right back to give the Red Foxes a 23-19 lead. Foss put the exclamation point on the first set with her sixth kill of the match, giving Marist the win 25-20.
Lafayette (3-6) took the early advantage in the second set, taking a 10-6 lead. The Marist offense just could not find a rhythm in the second set, hitting .000 with 11 kills and 11 errors. The Leopards hit .281 in the second set, turning an 18-12 lead into a 25-15 win the set to even the match at 1-1. The third set proved to be the closest with 12 ties and seven lead changes. Marist and Lafayette traded points early and often in the third, playing to five ties in the first 14 points. Marist took a three point lead at 11-8 with kills from Schultze, Schmid, and Jan. The Leopards came back to tie the match at 11-11 and both teams dueled to a 14-14 tie. The Red Foxes once again took a three point lead at 18-15, taking advantage of an error from Ainhoa Barturen. Lafayette came back to tie the set at 21-21 only to have Marist trade points to tie the set at 23-23. The Leopards took their first lead of the set at 24-23 on a kill from Kayly Elmer and finished off the set with another Elmer kill to win the third set 25-23.
The fourth set started much like the third with the Red Foxes and Leopards trading points, playing to a 12-12 tie. Marist broke the set open from there, as a Schaefer kill sparked a 5-0 run to give the Red Foxes a 17-12 lead. The lead grew to seven at 21-14 behind three straight kills from Schultze, Allie Burke (Alpharetta, Ga.), and Cassie Campbell (Canton, Ohio). Lafayette got within three at 22-19, but Marist quickly closed the door on the fourth set with kills from Schultze and Jan to win the set 25-20 and even the match at 2-2. Lafayette took the advantage in the fifth set, going on a 6-1 run to turn a 3-3 tie into a 9-4 lead. The Leopards hit .429 with only one error in the fifth and held Marist to a .136 hitting percentage, winning the set 15-8 and the match 3-2.
Elmer led all players with 18 kills and added 6 digs. Cara Mulholland had 12 kills and hit a match-high .440. Kari Horn led all players with 21 digs. Lafayette outhit Marist .250-.182 and also held the advantage in digs 63-58 and in blocks 7-2.
Marist will continue play in the Cross-town Tournament on Saturday with two matches at Lehigh. The Red Foxes will take on Coppin State at 12:30 p.m., followed by a match with the host Mountain Hawks at 4 p.m.
