Mountain Hawks Pick Up Comeback Win at Holy Cross

Friday, October 20

Worcester, Mass.

7 p.m.

Lehigh University

15-8

Holy Cross

3-19

Lehigh

Holy Cross

Mountain Hawks Pick Up Comeback Win at Holy Cross

10/20/2017 10:12:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Mountain Hawks rallied back after dropping the first set to Holy Cross, 26-24, and won three-straight to complete the 3-1 comeback win on the road Friday night. Lehigh improves to 6-3 in the Patriot League, 15-8 overall, while the Crusaders remain winless in league play at 0-9 and fall to 3-19 overall.

Emily Poole led all net-minders on the night with six total blocks, including three solos, while she chipped in offensively with a season-high eight kills on a .667 attack percentage. Julia Pressly reached double-figures for the third time in league play this season as she led Lehigh with 11 kills to go along with three block assists. Ana Spangenberg was also a key offensive contributor with 10 kills on the night.

Bonaire Berry led Lehigh with a season-high 20 assists to go along with six digs, while Megan Polak posted 14 assists. Each setter contributed two kills a piece.

The upset-minded Crusaders were riding the emotion early and carried it throughout the first set to an eventual 26-24 victory. It's the first time Holy Cross won the opening set since September 15 in a 3-1 loss to UMBC. Neither team managed to open up a sizeable lead in the first set as the largest lead was a six-point advantage for Holy Cross at 14-8. That lead was short lived as the Mountain Hawks went on a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 14-12 led by two service aces by Berry.

A kill by Berry capped a 6-1 run which put Lehigh in a 23-21 lead, but Holy Cross tied the set 23-23 with two quick points. LU would go ahead 24-23, but the Crusaders posted the last three points of the set on two kills by Katie Kerins and a Lehigh attack error to clinch the 26-24 victory.

The second set began with a back-and-forth battle before Lehigh posted four unanswered points, led by three-straight service aces by Emily Develle, to take a 12-8 lead. The Mountain Hawks never fell behind for the remainder of the set en route to a 25-18 victory. Poole led with four kills in the set on a 1.000 attack percentage.

Lehigh took control of the third set early by opening up a 7-2 lead and never trailed at any point in the set. The Mountain Hawks opened up a 13-8 lead, but the Crusaders rallied back as LU only led 15-13 at the media timeout. Following a Holy Cross timeout, Lehigh went on a 5-2 run, led by two kills by Sabrina Lancaster, to win the set, 25-19.

The two sides played tight, back-and-forth set early in the fourth. The Mountain Hawks started to open up a lead with a 15-11 advantage at the media timeout and completed their six-point run with two more points out of the break to go ahead 17-11. In the driver's seat, Lehigh ended the set on a 7-1 run as the errors piled up for Holy Cross. The Mountain Hawks won the fourth set, 25-14, led by Spangenberg's four kills.

Lehigh will wrap-up the weekend road trip Saturday with a league contest at Colgate. Opening serve is set for 4 p.m.