Lehigh University Athletics
Friday, November 3
Baltimore, Md.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Loyola
Volleyball Set for Two Weekend Matches with Saturday Senior Day
11/2/2017 1:16:00 PM | Volleyball
WATCH (Loyola) | WATCH (American)
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Mountain Hawks are down to their final four regular season matches of the season and will have their final week of back-to-back matches with a trip to Loyola on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a return trip home to face American on Saturday on Senior Day at 5 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network.
Lehigh (16-10, 7-5) enters the weekend fourth in the Patriot League standings, one win up on Colgate and Bucknell. Saturday's match against American brings the Mountain Hawks back to Grace Hall for the first time since October 13, ending a five-match road stand that kicked off their second round of league matches. Prior to returning home, Lehigh will look to cap off the road trip with a winning record and complete the season sweep over Loyola for the fifth-straight season.
Since beginning the second half of league play, Lehigh is hitting .207 with 14.1 kills per set, 14.3 digs per set and 2.5 blocks per set, which are all better numbers than its opponents during that stretch. Ana Spangenberg has led Lehigh with 4.57 kills per set in the last four matches, while Megan Polak has averaged a team-leading 8.67 assists per set. Lauren Bright has led the team with 1.33 blocks per set, while Emily Develle has compiled an average of 4.40 digs per set.
Loyola (9-16, 3-9) has been on a four-match skid since beginning the back half of its league slate, with all four matches played at home. The Greyhounds will complete the final leg of a six-match home stand when they host Lehigh on Friday night. They are 1-4 on their home stand with their lone win over Holy Cross on Oct. 13.
The Hounds are led by Ann Ernst who ranks fifth in the Patriot League with 3.38 kills per set this season for a total of 311 kills. Julia Howard ranks sixth in the league with 6.53 assists per set with a total of 564 assists. Loyola has a trio of blockers with 60 or more blocks on the season, led by Haley Puddy's 65. Elena Scarano paces the squad and ranks 10th in the league with 3.19 digs per set for a total of 265 digs.
American (20-7, 11-1) has been on a 12-match win streak, including a 10-match win streak in Patriot League play, since falling 3-1 at Navy on September 26. The Eagles will look to keep their streak alive with a match at Lafayette on Friday prior to making the cross-valley trek to Bethlehem on Saturday.
The Eagles lead the Patriot League with an overall hitting percentage of .272 on the season, with a .281 percentage in league play, and have held league opponents to a .154 hitting percentage. AU also has compiled the most blocks in league play with 113 at a league-leading clip of 2.63 blocks per set.
Lehigh is looking to improve to 15-3 all-time against Loyola with a trip to Baltimore on Friday. The Mountain Hawks are currently riding a 13-match win streak against Loyola and have swept the Greyhounds every season since they joined the league in 2013. Lehigh will be looking to defeat American at home for the second-straight season and for the third time in the last four meetings at Grace Hall.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Mountain Hawks are down to their final four regular season matches of the season and will have their final week of back-to-back matches with a trip to Loyola on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a return trip home to face American on Saturday on Senior Day at 5 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network.
Lehigh (16-10, 7-5) enters the weekend fourth in the Patriot League standings, one win up on Colgate and Bucknell. Saturday's match against American brings the Mountain Hawks back to Grace Hall for the first time since October 13, ending a five-match road stand that kicked off their second round of league matches. Prior to returning home, Lehigh will look to cap off the road trip with a winning record and complete the season sweep over Loyola for the fifth-straight season.
Since beginning the second half of league play, Lehigh is hitting .207 with 14.1 kills per set, 14.3 digs per set and 2.5 blocks per set, which are all better numbers than its opponents during that stretch. Ana Spangenberg has led Lehigh with 4.57 kills per set in the last four matches, while Megan Polak has averaged a team-leading 8.67 assists per set. Lauren Bright has led the team with 1.33 blocks per set, while Emily Develle has compiled an average of 4.40 digs per set.
Loyola (9-16, 3-9) has been on a four-match skid since beginning the back half of its league slate, with all four matches played at home. The Greyhounds will complete the final leg of a six-match home stand when they host Lehigh on Friday night. They are 1-4 on their home stand with their lone win over Holy Cross on Oct. 13.
The Hounds are led by Ann Ernst who ranks fifth in the Patriot League with 3.38 kills per set this season for a total of 311 kills. Julia Howard ranks sixth in the league with 6.53 assists per set with a total of 564 assists. Loyola has a trio of blockers with 60 or more blocks on the season, led by Haley Puddy's 65. Elena Scarano paces the squad and ranks 10th in the league with 3.19 digs per set for a total of 265 digs.
American (20-7, 11-1) has been on a 12-match win streak, including a 10-match win streak in Patriot League play, since falling 3-1 at Navy on September 26. The Eagles will look to keep their streak alive with a match at Lafayette on Friday prior to making the cross-valley trek to Bethlehem on Saturday.
The Eagles lead the Patriot League with an overall hitting percentage of .272 on the season, with a .281 percentage in league play, and have held league opponents to a .154 hitting percentage. AU also has compiled the most blocks in league play with 113 at a league-leading clip of 2.63 blocks per set.
Lehigh is looking to improve to 15-3 all-time against Loyola with a trip to Baltimore on Friday. The Mountain Hawks are currently riding a 13-match win streak against Loyola and have swept the Greyhounds every season since they joined the league in 2013. Lehigh will be looking to defeat American at home for the second-straight season and for the third time in the last four meetings at Grace Hall.
Players Mentioned
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/ VolleyballVolleyball vs. Holy Cross
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