LYNCHBURG, Va. – Volleyball's 2019 season came to a close on Saturday night as La Salle (15-14) fell to Liberty (20-11), 3-2. The Explorers clawed back from a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth set in which they battled down match point six times before eventually conceding 21-19. Senior Kathryn Wood, junior Samantha Graver and sophomore Elizabeth Osborn all finished with double-doubles in a thrilling game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• La Salle began the brighter of the two sides to begin the game, opening a slight 7-5 advantage. Liberty quickly found its home footing and responded with a 9-2 run. The Flames stretched that lead to six at 20-14, but the Explorers battled back to within two by claiming seven of the next 10 points. The host would tally the next two points and take the set.
• Another fast start from La Salle in the second, jumping out to 6-3 lead, was nullified by the 8-3 Liberty stretch that ensued. The Blue & Gold refused to let Liberty fly away and would close to within one at 17-16, 22-21, and 23-22. The Flames managed a kill to force set point, answered by a kill and ace by Osborn, but again the home team found the final pair of points when it mattered.
• Unlike the first two frames, the Explorers weren't the hot team to begin the third. Liberty opened with an 11-7 gap, which was narrowed to 14-11 before La Salle managed to score five straight. Two points from the Flames tied it, but four more from the Explorers re-opened the set. The two sides split the following 10 points down the middle and the visitors stayed alive.
• The fourth frame was a cagey affair to start. La Salle and Liberty were locked at 11-11, and it was the Explorers who made the first real move by embarking on a 7-1 run. Credit to the Flames, their response was to take seven of the next nine to make it a one-point game. The Explorers stretched it out to 23-20, Liberty battled back to 24-23, but an attacking error from the home team gave La Salle a lifeline.
• Neither team could separate itself in the final set. It was telling that the biggest lead that either side held was two (La Salle up 3-1 and Liberty up 9-7). There were four lead changes. La Salle stared down game point seven times. The set was tied on 17 different occasions. That final tie saw La Salle and Liberty locked at 19-19, after which the Flames found the decisive two points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Graver led all players with 22 kills in the game, which was tied for the second most of her career. It was her highest kill total since she tallied 25 against Robert Morris on 9/9/17.
• La Salle's number seven joined an exclusive club by breaking the 400-kill plateau for the season (she finished with 402). Only three other players in La Salle history have at least that amount in a single campaign: Melissa Hodge (532 in 1999), Cathy Bissinger (422 in 1989) and Devin Corah (412 in 2018).
• For the seventh time in 2019, Wood tallied 50 assists in a game. She also managed 13 digs to give her an 18th double-double of the season, tied with Graver for the team lead.
• Individual marks for Osborn: the second-year player put up strong individual marks against Liberty. Her point total of 24.5 set a career high, while her four aces and five blocks tied single-game bests.
• She finished with 18 kills and 12 digs and was one of three players in double-digit kills. Senior Catherine Edgington was the other and perhaps the most effective, recording 14 kills on .333 hitting.
• La Salle's number 14 also set career-highs against the Flames in points (19.5) and digs (six). Her strong overall game was capped by tallying six blocks.
• Five players finished with double-digit digs in the game: Graver, Wood, Osborn, a team-high 18 from freshman Rachel Hess and 12 from redshirt freshman Sarah Nahas.
• As a team, the Explorers had the slight edge in most statistical categories, including kills (64-60), aces (9-8), assists (60-56) and digs (79-77). Perhaps surprisingly, La Salle even out-blocked Liberty 13-12, despite Liberty ranking 22nd in the nation in blocks per set entering Saturday.