Gophers Keep Streak Alive with Five-Set Victory

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher appeared headed toward its 15th consecutive victory over Notre Dame (Md.) when the Gophers took the first two sets of tonight's match in the Decker Sports & Recreation Center against the Gators.

The third set, however, went to Notre Dame. So did the fourth.

Suddenly, the Gophers wrere in a position where they had to prevail in the fifth set or they'd have to accept their first loss to their local rival since September 28, 2006.

The score in the fifth set was knotted up a 7-7 when a kill by Hannah Kuehl (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) — one of her team-leading total of 17 — put Goucher ahead to stay. The Gophers went on the win the match 25-17, 25-15, 19-25, 21-25, 15-11.

Sarah Johnson (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) assisted all six of Goucher's kills in the decisive fifth set and finished the match with 31. Kuehl accounted for three of the six kills; of the remaining three, two were by Michelle Tweedie (Accra, Ghana/Lincoln Community School) and the other by Kelly Budge (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan).

In her role of libero for the Gophers (5-5), Meredith Johnson (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) recorded 22 digs.

Ashley Pasker led Notre Dame in kills (13), Jamie Reyes in assists (33) and Cleaya Antes in digs (30). As a team, the Gators (2-4) registered a .050 attack percentage for the five-set match.

Goucher is right back in action tomorrow night as head coach Kelli Wilkinson's squad will attempt to extend its current winning streak to four matches when it takes on Alvernia at 7 p.m.