Lehigh University Athletics
Friday, September 21
Bethlehem, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Loyola (Md.)
Lehigh returns home for Patriot League opening weekend vs. Loyola, Navy
9/20/2018 1:25:00 PM | Volleyball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After a week-long break, Lehigh is back in action at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall for its Patriot League opening weekend against Loyola on Friday at 7 p.m. and Navy at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The Mountain Hawks finished off a non-league schedule that ended with the best start in program history at 11-1. The slate featured big wins over Rutgers, Penn, and George Mason, including a 6-0 record at home.
Lehigh has already taken the Patriot League by storm in terms of team stat leaders, with the Mountain Hawks leading the league in seven of the 12 major categories. They are currently ranked first as a team in hitting percentage (.243), opponent hitting percentage (.133), kills per set (13.33), opponent kills per set (10.74), assists per set (12.74), opponent assists per set (10.37), and blocks per set (2.55).
Among the team leaders, the Mountain Hawks also have a contingency of individual leaders with sophomore Sabrina Lancaster ranked first in kills per set with 3.82. Juniors Emily Poole and Lauren Bright are currently ranked third and fourth in the league in hitting at .383 and .377, respectively. With 8.32 assists per set, senior setter Megan Polak is third in the Patriot League, while freshman setter Alina Lam is second in the league for service aces per set with 0.43.
Lehigh is currently riding a three-match winning streak, most recently taking down George Mason in four sets last Friday. Lancaster finished with a game-high 18 kills, while Polak tallied 25 assists and 11 digs and Lam had 26 assists and 13 digs, both registering a double-double.
While having a steady offense is always a good way to exhibit success, the Mountain Hawks will also need to rely heavy on their defensive front to come away with two successful Patriot League wins, starting the league schedule off on the right foot. The team leaders in blocks, Poole (48) and Bright (46) both show how much of a key they are to the team's overall success.
The Mountain Hawks' first opponent of the weekend is the Loyola Greyhounds on Friday night, coming into Bethlehem with a 4-8 record, most recently falling to Georgetown on Saturday in straight sets after being swept by the Explorers of LaSalle last Thursday. The Greyhounds have lost their last four matches. Loyola is led by senior Alisah Cash, leading the team in hitting percentage with .248 and blocks per set at 5.82, while senior Molly Werts is the team-leader in assists (254) and assists per set (2.64). Freshman libero Katie Forsythe is currently the Patriot League leader in digs per set at 5.82.
Overall, the Mountain Hawks have had a favorable record against the Greyhounds all-time, leading the series, 16-3. Lehigh won its last meeting with Loyola on Oct. 7 of last season, 3-1.
On Saturday, in the second match of the weekend for the Mountain Hawks, the team hosts the Midshipmen of Navy. Navy had the second-best non-league finish, coming into Patriot League play with an 8-5 record. The Midshipmen are coming off a five-set victory at Air Force on Saturday, after splitting the Denver Invitational with a 3-1 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, before falling to Denver in straight sets. Before that, Navy's non-league schedule featured victories over Dartmouth, George Mason, and Tulane.
Navy is led by senior middle-blocker Katie Patrick, who is coming off a week highlighted by garnering Patriot League Player of the Week honors. Patrick finished the three-match weekend in Colorado averaging 2.42 kills per set, 1.17 blocks per set, and had a .400 hitting percentage. In the four-set victory over Maryland Eastern Shore, Patrick had 11 kills and finished with a .562 attack percentage. The Midshipmen are also led by sophomore outside hitter Maddi Sgattoni, who leads the team in kills with 148 and kills per set with 3.08. Senior setter Patricia Mattingly leads the team with 354 assists, averaging 7.87 per set.
The Mountain Hawks are 28-31 all-time against Navy, most recently winning 3-2 back on Nov. 7 of last year.
Both weekend matches will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network.
Prior to Saturday's match with Navy, Lehigh will recognize members of the 1993 Patriot League Championship volleyball team with a special pregame ceremony. Members of the team that will be in attendance to be recognized are Sue Snyder Chambers, Nicole Miller Hackenberg, Adi Lang, Colleen Makosky Broome, Kelly Kramer, and graduate assistant Donna Gaugler Roman.
Like Lehigh Volleyball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
The Mountain Hawks finished off a non-league schedule that ended with the best start in program history at 11-1. The slate featured big wins over Rutgers, Penn, and George Mason, including a 6-0 record at home.
Lehigh has already taken the Patriot League by storm in terms of team stat leaders, with the Mountain Hawks leading the league in seven of the 12 major categories. They are currently ranked first as a team in hitting percentage (.243), opponent hitting percentage (.133), kills per set (13.33), opponent kills per set (10.74), assists per set (12.74), opponent assists per set (10.37), and blocks per set (2.55).
Among the team leaders, the Mountain Hawks also have a contingency of individual leaders with sophomore Sabrina Lancaster ranked first in kills per set with 3.82. Juniors Emily Poole and Lauren Bright are currently ranked third and fourth in the league in hitting at .383 and .377, respectively. With 8.32 assists per set, senior setter Megan Polak is third in the Patriot League, while freshman setter Alina Lam is second in the league for service aces per set with 0.43.
Lehigh is currently riding a three-match winning streak, most recently taking down George Mason in four sets last Friday. Lancaster finished with a game-high 18 kills, while Polak tallied 25 assists and 11 digs and Lam had 26 assists and 13 digs, both registering a double-double.
While having a steady offense is always a good way to exhibit success, the Mountain Hawks will also need to rely heavy on their defensive front to come away with two successful Patriot League wins, starting the league schedule off on the right foot. The team leaders in blocks, Poole (48) and Bright (46) both show how much of a key they are to the team's overall success.
The Mountain Hawks' first opponent of the weekend is the Loyola Greyhounds on Friday night, coming into Bethlehem with a 4-8 record, most recently falling to Georgetown on Saturday in straight sets after being swept by the Explorers of LaSalle last Thursday. The Greyhounds have lost their last four matches. Loyola is led by senior Alisah Cash, leading the team in hitting percentage with .248 and blocks per set at 5.82, while senior Molly Werts is the team-leader in assists (254) and assists per set (2.64). Freshman libero Katie Forsythe is currently the Patriot League leader in digs per set at 5.82.
Overall, the Mountain Hawks have had a favorable record against the Greyhounds all-time, leading the series, 16-3. Lehigh won its last meeting with Loyola on Oct. 7 of last season, 3-1.
On Saturday, in the second match of the weekend for the Mountain Hawks, the team hosts the Midshipmen of Navy. Navy had the second-best non-league finish, coming into Patriot League play with an 8-5 record. The Midshipmen are coming off a five-set victory at Air Force on Saturday, after splitting the Denver Invitational with a 3-1 win over Maryland Eastern Shore, before falling to Denver in straight sets. Before that, Navy's non-league schedule featured victories over Dartmouth, George Mason, and Tulane.
Navy is led by senior middle-blocker Katie Patrick, who is coming off a week highlighted by garnering Patriot League Player of the Week honors. Patrick finished the three-match weekend in Colorado averaging 2.42 kills per set, 1.17 blocks per set, and had a .400 hitting percentage. In the four-set victory over Maryland Eastern Shore, Patrick had 11 kills and finished with a .562 attack percentage. The Midshipmen are also led by sophomore outside hitter Maddi Sgattoni, who leads the team in kills with 148 and kills per set with 3.08. Senior setter Patricia Mattingly leads the team with 354 assists, averaging 7.87 per set.
The Mountain Hawks are 28-31 all-time against Navy, most recently winning 3-2 back on Nov. 7 of last year.
Both weekend matches will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network.
Prior to Saturday's match with Navy, Lehigh will recognize members of the 1993 Patriot League Championship volleyball team with a special pregame ceremony. Members of the team that will be in attendance to be recognized are Sue Snyder Chambers, Nicole Miller Hackenberg, Adi Lang, Colleen Makosky Broome, Kelly Kramer, and graduate assistant Donna Gaugler Roman.
Like Lehigh Volleyball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Players Mentioned
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