Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. - It was a historic night for the Lebanon Valley College women's volleyball team, as the Dutchmen had the best defensive night in modern program history in a 3-0 (25-4, 25-15, 25-6) win over Alvernia.
The four points allowed by LVC in the first set is the lowest by a Dutchmen squad since 2001 - the first year of rally scoring in NCAA Division III. The previous low for a Lebanon Valley team was six points - a mark reached Sept. 30 at Albright. The Dutchmen also allowed only six points in the third set of tonight's win.
From the beginning of the match, it was clear that LVC would be in control. The Dutchmen jumped out to a 5-0 lead thanks in part to a pair of kills from Nicole Barra and two aces from Angela Kuperavage. The final score of the first set may have been an even bigger margin if LVC had not committed three errors that led to all but one of Alvernia's points. A LVC service error and an ace from Alvernia's Miranda Hedrick brought the set to 12-4, but the Dutchmen rattled off the final 13 points - 12 while Joelle Snyder was on serve - for a 1-0 lead in the match. During that run, Snyder dialed up five aces.
In the second set, the two teams went back and forth in the early portions. While LVC never trailed, the set was tied five different times in the early goings before a 5-0 LVC run distanced the Dutchmen from trouble. LVC took advantage of 12 Alvernia errors in the set combined with three kills apiece from Jamie Hawk and Paige Yocum to win the second set and take control of the match.
In the third set, LVC again put together an impressive run to start the frame, winning the first nine points. Three of those points came via aces from Stephanie Derk. Well-placed serves were a big part of LVC's offense, as the Dutchmen finished the match with 19 aces. The 19 pinpoint serves are tied for second-most in a match by a LVC squad.
As a team, LVC hit .299 with 32 kills on 77 attempts and only nine errors. Hawk had eight kills with only one error on 12 total attempts. Yocum had six errorless kills on 14 swings.
Emily Perkins dished out 23 assists and in the process moved into fifth place all-time in assists among LVC players.
In addition to Snyder's five aces, Angela Kuperavage and Derk each totaled four aces. Yocum served up two while four other players each had one ace.
The Dutchmen improve to 24-1 overall in 2009 and 5-1 in the Commonwealth Conference. With Widener's 3-2 loss to Messiah, the Dutchmen now have sole possession of second place in the conference. The only team ahead of LVC is Elizabethtown - the Dutchmen's opponent in the final match of the regular season.
