Gophers Turn Back Mustangs, Climb Over .500

Smith, Fan Combine for 30 Kills, 39 Digs in Four-Set Match

TOWSON, Md. – Megan Smith (Honolulu, Hawaii/Long Beach Polytechnic) and Ashley Fan (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) combined for 30 kills and 39 digs tonight as Goucher picked up its second win over an in-state rival this week, a 3-1 triumph over Stevenson.

Game scores were 25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19.

The Gophers (3-2), who were coming off a 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19 victory over McDaniel on Tuesday, were locked in a 20-20 tie with the Mustangs (4-2) in the first set before scoring five of the final six points. Fan's only kill put her team ahead 24-21 and Smith followed with her fourth kills to wrap up the set.

Fan and Smith had five kills apiece in the second set, but the Mustangs went ahead to stay on a kill by Alex Mercer that snapped a 17-17 tie.

Six kills by Smith helped Goucher assume a 21-12 advantage in the third set, but Stevenson battled back, getting as close as 23-20 before a kill by Fan at set point.

The Gophers never trailed in the final set. The Mustangs called a time out after Smith served an ace to put them in a 14-6 hole. The senior outside hitter also produced Goucher's final two points were her 18th and 19th kills of the match.

Claire Sauvage-Mar (New Delhi, India/American Embassy School) was credited with assists on 40 of Goucher's 44 kills in the four-set match. It's the eighth time in the junior setter's career that she's had at least 40 assists in a match.