Hornets Fight Off Comeback Attempt by Gophers

TOWSON, Md. — With its back against the wall heading into the third set, Goucher fought back, winning the next two sets, to even the match against Shenandoah at two sets a piece. Unfortunately, the Hornets prevailed in the fifth set and departed the Decker Sports & Recreation Center with a 3-2 victory.

Set scores were 25-22, 27-25, 23-25, 22-25, 15-8.

Back and forth play in the first set had Goucher and Shenandoah locked up at 19-19. A kill by Hannah Kuehl (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) gave the Gophers a one-point lead late in the set, but the Hornets answered with a set-clinching 6-2 run.

Goucher gradually opened up a three-point advantage in the second set, but wasn't able to put Shenandoah away. Even after the Gophers went up 25-24 the Hornets tallied the next three points to grab a 2-0 lead.

Goucher turned things around in the third set, scoring the final three points to win 25-23 and stay live in the match.

Kelly Budge (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan) and Kuehl led Goucher in the fourth set with three kills a piece, pushing the Gophers out to a 17-11 lead. Shenandoah would get only as close as three points after that.

Corinne Kahler (York, Pa./York Country Day), Jess Jameyson (Lexington, Mass./Lexington), and Sarah Johnson (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) all tallied a kill in the fifth and final set to put the Gophers ahead 7-5. The Hornets then mounted an 8-0 run that effectively sewed up the match.

Goucher will travel to Selinsgrove, Pa. to play two Landmark Conference matches on Saturday. The first will be against Juniata at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed at 6:30 p.m. with a match against Susquehanna.