Box Score

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - A first-set win had the Lebanon Valley College women's volleyball team feeling good about its second trip to the NCAA Championships, but a sudden change of momentum in the second set was too much for the Dutchmen to overcome as LVC was knocked out by Mount Union, 3-1 (25-17, 25-27, 23-25, 12-25) in the first round.

The Dutchmen were in control of the opening set from the first point, bursting out to a 5-0 lead with five-straight kills, three of which came from Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year, Joelle Snyder.

After a Mount Union timeout, the Dutchmen extended the lead to 11-2 by capitalizing on Purple Raider errors. Mount Union gained composure, rattling off seven points in a row to get back to within two points at 11-9. Kills from Jamie Hawk and Jess Raber extended LVC's lead to 13-9 before Mount Union climbed back to within one at 14-13. An 11-4 run from that point on in favor of LVC gave the Dutchmen a 25-17 opening-set win - the first set victory in the NCAA Championships by LVC.

Snyder had a monster first set for the Dutchmen, hitting .625 with five errorless kills on eight swings. She finished with a team-high 16 kills with a .317 hitting percentage.

In the second set, LVC appeared close to cruising to a 2-0 lead, holding a 17-11 lead in the later stages of the set. Mount Union came back with 10 of the next 15 points to close the gap to one point at 22-21 in favor of LVC. The final three points of that run came after an LVC timeout. Michelle Little twice put LVC up by two with kills, first at 23-21 and then again for set point at 24-22. Leah Hirsch then came through with one of her nine kills for Mount Union to stave off a two-set deficit and a set error by Emily Perkins tied things at 24-24. Snyder gave LVC another set point at 25-24 with a kill - her fourth of the set. However, the Raiders again evened the set with a timely kill from Katie Kmieck. She only had three kills all match from the setter spot, but they all were important. Sarah Parker added one of her 12 kills to give Mount Union a set point and when an LVC attack from Emily Hopkins just missed being inbounds in front of Mount Union's bench, the match was tied.

The third set was an extremely tight frame, as neither team led by more than three points (Mount Union at 7-4.) There were 10 ties and eight lead changes and no team had control of the serve for more than five points. The Dutchmen took a 17-15 lead when Hopkins sent home a cross-court kill from the right side. However, an attack error by LVC and then two Raider aces gave Mount Union an 18-17 lead. A service error by the Raiders squared the set at 18-18, but the Raiders took a lead they would not relinquish on the strength of kills by Melissa Mahnke and Parker. LVC would not go quietly, as Little had three kills in the final stretch of the set to keep LVC close. A set error by Kmieck had LVC within a point at 24-23, but a tricky soft attack from Monica Hupertz won the set for the Raiders, 25-23.

The Dutchmen could not match Mount Union's strong attack in the fourth set, as the Raiders out hit LVC, .312 to .100. LVC was as close as one point at 7-6, but from there the Raiders outscored the Dutchmen, 18-6. LVC could not string together back-to-back points, and a four-point Mount Union run turned to up its lead to 22-11 put the set - and the match - out of reach.

Mahnke had a match-high 18 kills for Mount Union who won their first-ever match at the NCAA Championships. The back line on defense for Mount Union was a key component of the match, as the Raiders had 91 digs as a team. Sarah Dean had 25 of those digs while Mahnke added 19. LVC took plenty of good swings on offense, but it seemed as if a Raider player was always there with an arm to keep the play alive. Angela Kuperavage was just as ready on defense for LVC, contributing 18 digs for the Dutchmen. Emily Perkins (14), Jess Raber (12) and Stephanie Derk (11) also reached double figures in digs, keeping rallies alive and setting up attacks for the front line.

LVC finishes the season with a record of 31-3. Mount Union improves to 23-6.