Gophers Sweep Royals, Win Third Straight in Home Finale

TOWSON, Md. — In its final regular season match of 2013, the Goucher volleyball team handled Eastern Mennonite 25-18, 25-22, 25-13 to pick up its third consecutive victory.

All three wins for the Gophers (12-18) have come in straight sets. Goucher also ends the year 7-5 in matches played at the Decker Sports & Recreation Center.

Megan Chalk (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) had a dominant performance, totaling a team-high 15 kills (with a .371 attack percentage) and 20 digs. The double-double was her 15th of the season.

The Royals (9-18) scored seven of the match's first 10 points, and halfway through the first set they maintained a 12-8 advantage. A kill from Corinne Kahler (York, Pa./York Country Day), though, began a stretch in which Goucher took nine of the next 11 points to grab the lead. Eastern Mennonite reduced the deficit back to 20-18, but the Gophers rattled off the final five points to take the opener.

Neither team ever led by more than four points in the following set. With Goucher leading 23-22, Michelle Tweedie (Accra, Ghana/Lincoln Community School) and Sarah Johnson (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) recorded back-to-back kills to give the team a commanding lead.

The Gophers cruised in the final set, with an Eastern Mennonite attack error sealing the win.

Hannah Kuehl (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) totaled nine kills for Goucher, while Tori Rain (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) chipped in 19 digs. For the match, the Gophers had a .230 attack percentage compared to .072 for the Royals.

 Goucher can now turn its attention to the Landmark quarterfinals on Tuesday. The sixth-seeded Gophers will travel to third-seeded Catholic for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Cardinals won by a three sets to one margin when the teams faced off in the regular season.