BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The fourth straight win for American University volleyball came on the road at Patriot League foe Lehigh, as the Eagles rallied back from a first-set, 25-23 loss to win the next three 25-17, 25-23 and 25-23. Heading into the final four matches of the regular season, AU is currently tied for third in the PL standings with a record of 8-4.
By the Numbers
- With a match-best 14 kills, graduate student Zeynep Uzen has now moved into fourth place all-time in program history with 1,628 career kills. With a final dig right near the end of the match, she also hit 10 digs to make it her seventh straight double-double.
- Junior Bridget Javitch tied her career high with 26 digs to lead all players in the match, while freshman Holly Hopkins also finished in double figures in digs with 10.
- Impressive numbers were posted across the board by junior setter Esma Sipahi with 44 assists, eight digs, six blocks and four kills.
- Graduate student Carlie Fikse added four blocks to nine kills and hit .364 to lead AU.
- Sophomore Adelina Berisha posted 12 kills, and junior Lilou Stegeman recorded five blocks.
Notable
- The Eagles were rolling along nicely in the first set and had a 20-13 lead before things went south. Lehigh's blockers got the job done as the Mountain Hawks rallied all the way back to tie the score at 22-22 before going on to win, 25-23.
- In the second set, the big lead was once again obtained, and this time the Eagles held on. They led by as many as seven at 19-12, and surpassed that lead by one at the end when they won 25-17.
- Fikse and Sipahi combined for a block twice in the final few points of the second set, which saw AU hit .364 to Lehigh's .212 and post six blocks to Lehigh's three.
- The Mountain Hawks committed fewer errors than AU but also posted fewer kills in what was a very tight set throughout with 15 ties and three lead changes.
- Berisha made the difference down the stretch, getting her sixth kill for a 23-22 lead, her seventh to make it 24-22, and finally her eighth kill of the match for the 25-23 win.
- Despite a 19-6 lead for American in the fourth set, the Eagles had to claw for the win in the end after a huge comeback by the Mountain Hawks.
- With the Eagles up 22-10, Lehigh went on a 9-0 run to make it a three-point set. After AU later went up 24-21, Lehigh fought off two match points before a service error on the Mountain Hawks finally gave AU the last point it needed.
Next Up
- American will be on the road for the final time in the regular season to face Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m.
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