September 28, 2005 - Lafayette 3 Rider 2

• Box Score

September 28, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Volleyball

Lafayette College 3, Rider University 2

EASTON, Pa.—After the Broncs’ three game winning streak was ended by Maryland Eastern Shore last Saturday, the women’s volleyball team came out fast, energetic, and deceptive against Lafayette, according to volleyball head coach Emily Ahlquist.

Unfortunately, the team played “unemotional” in games four and five after leading the match 2-1 and suffered its first loss to the Leopards (10-5) in seven seasons under Ahlquist.

Lafayette defeated Rider 24-30, 31-29, 28-30, 30-26, 15-8.

“We started great,” said Ahlquist. “We were up two games to one, but in game four we started to slow down. In game five we played flat.”

“We played with a great amount of confidence up until game four,” said sophomore outside hitter Katrina Stehle. “It was neck and neck till the end, yet [making errors] really got to us.”  Lafayette recorded a 52 attack percentage and did not record an error in the decisive fifth game.

Stehle, a biology major from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, had 15 digs, with nine kills and a service ace after compiling 11 kills against the Leopards in the Broncs 3-1 home win in 2004.  "The senior leadership of Stef [Lombardo] really kept us in the match after we gave up an eight point lead in game three" said Stehle.  "We were all thinking we would win the match after holding on to win the third game" Stehle added.  Lombardo (New Castle, Pa./Laurel) had 21 kills, 18 digs and three service aces.

Also for Rider, sophomore Nastasja Avromovic (Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast) had 22 digs and freshman Lacey Johnson (Aurora, Colo./Grandview) had 21 digs.  Senior Kristine Dormer (Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Seton) and junior Megan Smith (Webster, N.Y./Webster) each added 13 kills.

Physical fitness and communication were not the Broncs’ problem against Lafayette as had been in earlier matches during the season. Tonight, mistakes caused the team’s meltdown as Rider committed 29 errors to the Leopards 13.

The Broncs had beaten Lafayette 21 times since 1980, including six straight under Ahlquist coming into this season.  Ahlquist has seen quite an improvement in the Leopards overall, however.

“They caught up to us tonight,” Ahlquist said. “They have a new coach, are recruiting better players and the school overall has improved its image.”

Rider’s 2005 record now stands at 5-10 as their road trip continues Friday in a match at St. Francis-NY.

Ahlquist sees her team improving despite tonight’s performance, and despite her first defeat to Lafayette.

“Our emotion was the best it has been this year,” she said. “If only the match was at home, we would have probably won 3-2.”

-RU-