American Clips Lehigh, 3-1, on Senior Day

Saturday, November 4

Bethlehem, Pa.

5 p.m.

Lehigh University

17-11, 8-6

American

22-7, 13-1

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
American	25	16	25	25	3
Lehigh	19	25	19	20	1

11/4/2017 8:21:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American held off a spirited Lehigh squad in front of an energetic crowd Saturday on Senior Day for a 3-1 Patriot League victory.

Lehigh (17-11, 8-6) out-scored American (22-7, 13-1) on the night, 66-64, and owned a 56-48 advantage in total kills. Three Mountain Hawks reached double-figures on the night, led by Julia Pressly's career-high tying 18 kills to lead all players on the night. Ana Spangenberg reached double-figures for the seventh-straight match with her 14 kills and Victoria Hemsath rounded out Lehigh's top-three with 12 kills on the night.

Lauren Bright tied the league's leading blocker, Vela McBride, with five blocks on the night as the two lead all players. Emily Develle and Kristen Largay tied for the match lead with 19 digs each, while Megan Polak led all players with 47 assists.

The Eagles controlled the tempo in the first set as they opened up a 15-6 lead. Lehigh started to slow things down with a 4-0 run and cut the deficit to 15-10, led by two-straight kills by Pressly. LU pulled to within four points as kills by Hemsath and Jess Donaldson started a 4-0 run and forced an American timeout. Out of the break, Lehigh was unable to get the stops necessary to pull off a comeback as American took the first set 25-19.

Lehigh jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set and never relinquished the lead for the rest of the set en route to a 25-16 victory. Pressly and Spangenberg led the way as they combined for 10 kills in the set.

The third set opened with a back-and-forth battle, with multiple ties and lead changes, leading up to a 13-10 lead for American at a Lehigh timeout. Out of the break, the two sides continued to swap points, but American maintained a comfortable cushion. Coming out of another Lehigh timeout, American went on a 3-0 run to take a 23-17 lead which set the Eagles up for the 25-19 victory.

(11/4/2017) 2017 Volleyball Senior Day

In the fourth set, American jumped out early, but Lehigh reeled the Eagles back in at 5-5. The Eagles got back on track and racked up the kills to edge out a 14-10 advantage. The Mountain Hawks battle back to cut the deficit to four on multiple occasions down the stretch, but could not manage to get any close as American rolled on to a 25-20 fourth-set victory.

The Mountain Hawks will return to Grace Hall Tuesday night for their final home match of the season when they host Navy at 7 p.m.