Sept. 15, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – After nearly two weeks on the road, the La Salle volleyball team returned to Gola Arena to host Lehigh on Tuesday, but an early 2-0 start from the Mountain Hawks forced the Explorers to play from behind as they went on to lose, 3-1 (18-25, 24-26, 25-17, 15-25).

Senior Rachel Stemper led the way for La Salle with a match-high 11 kills including 14 digs, four assisted blocks and an assist. Stemper now has seven double-doubles on the season.

With La Salle leading the third set 16-15, freshmen Lauren Noga and Samantha Tulskie increased their team’s lead with back-to-back kills, 18-15. From there, the Explorers surged on a 7-2 run to win the set, 25-17.

Junior Carly Conlon was one dig shy from becoming the fourth Explorer to attain double-digit digs, ending with nine, while also distributing a team-high 16 assists. Sophomore Kourtney Clark followed up with 12 assists and also posted six digs.

Freshman Breanna Mazalewski led the team with 20 digs and fellow freshman Emily Merrick also totaled a team-high with six assisted blocks while notching nine kills.

The Mountain Hawks received help from sophomore Angelika Kopacz and her 10 kills, 16 digs, four service aces and assisted block. Sophomore Jessica Kudirka led all participants with 25 digs and junior Brittany Dickinson also dished out a match-high with 35 digs.

The Explorers (2-11) will hit the road again this weekend when they travel down south for the UNC Greensboro Tournament. Friday’s matches will feature La Salle against Georgetown at 10 AM and NC State at 5 PM.