Lehigh University
Navy
Mountain Hawks can't overcome Midshipmen
10/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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Mo McReynolds led the Brown and White with 15 kills on 44 total attacks. The junior captain also led the team in hitting percentage, putting up a .182 mark in the match. Jessica Kudirka took on the setting duties and racked up 38 assists on Friday night.
The Mountain Hawks bounced back after a tough first-set loss (25-23) to win the second set and draw even with Navy. Lehigh hit .220 from the floor in the second frame, the only set in the match the Mountain Hawks hit better than .200 on attacks. The 25-23 win swung the momentum briefly to the Lehigh side, but the Midshipmen were able to take control of the match back in the third set.
“It was a well-fought match,” Lehigh head coach Jenny Maurer said. “We were in it every single time, but we just couldn’t find that edge enough.”
Maurer said her team went away from what had been working for them as the match went on. The Mountain Hawks stopped executing tips over the Navy blocks, which had been working effectively, and the Midshipmen were able to adjust to the Lehigh attack.
“In the third set we just really let ourselves get the best of us,” Maurer said. “It’s just a matter of competing in every set.”
Navy ran away with the third set, 25-11, and followed it up with a 25-22 win in the fourth to close out the match. The Mountain Hawks showed their toughness by battling to the end in that final set, but the effort was not enough to overcome the strong Navy attack.
The Midshipmen hit .217 from the floor, including a .423 mark in the fourth and final set. The Mountain Hawks were less effective on their attacks, hitting just .104 for the match.
The Mountain Hawks have been tied after two sets in their last three matches, earning a 1-2 record in those situations. Maurer said her team has the skills to earn wins in those types of matches, the players just have to execute more frequently.
“I don’t think it’s anything magical,” Maurer said. “It’s just a matter of staying consistent and doing our jobs point after point, especially when it’s working.”
