HARRISONBURG, Va. – Lehigh volleyball returned to action on Friday evening against the Princeton Tigers in their first of three matches this weekend at a tournament hosted by James Madison University. The Mountain Hawks and Tigers went the distance to a fifth set, but Princeton was ultimately victorious by a score of 3-2.
The Mountain Hawks (2-2) and Tigers (1-0) played a very competitive first set, as neither team was able to gain a lead larger than three for most of the frame. Princeton finally broke through, securing set point at 24-20 on a kill by Valarie Nutakor. Lehigh was able to pull within one, but the Tigers held on to take set one 25-23.
After dropping the opening set, the Mountain Hawks responded in the second. The two teams once again shared a competitive set with neither able to pull away with a sizeable advantage. Leading 22-21, a 3-0 Mountain Hawk run capped off by an Alysia Fingall service ace secured the first set victory of the night for Lehigh.
Set three was once again very close, with Lehigh and Princeton playing to a 13-13 tie. The Mountain Hawks then conducted an 8-0 run to jump ahead to a 21-13 lead, eventually winning the set 25-19 to take a 2-1 lead in the match. However, the Tigers put forth an inspired effort in the fourth, cruising to a 25-12 win to force a fifth set.
The Tigers started off strong in the fifth set, gaining a 12-7 lead in the early going. Lehigh then went on a 6-2 run to pull within one point, but Princeton’s Lucia Scalamandre provided the final kill of the evening to secure a 15-13 set win and match victory.
Junior Ufuoma Omene led the way offensively for the Mountain Hawks, tallying a career-high 17 kills on an efficient .344 hitting percentage. First-year Mary Massias and Fingall joined her in double figures with 13 kills apiece. Junior Abby Felkai paced Lehigh with 29 assists while sophomore Sophia Bond’s 26 digs were a team-high.
Scalamandre and Nutakor recorded 15 and 14 kills respectively to lead the Tigers.
The Mountain Hawks will continue action on JMU’s campus on Saturday, September 6 at 3:30 p.m. against the Bellarmine Knights.
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