Gophers Can't Derail No. 1 Eagles, Crusaders

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Playing in the Landmark Conference means Goucher gets an opportunity every year to see how it stacks up against Juniata, a perennial Division III national championship contender.

That opportunity afforded itself today and the Eagles provided an overwhelming amount of evidence to show why they are currently the top-ranked team in the nation. They brushed off the Gophers, 3-0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-19).

Goucher played a second Landmark Conference match today with a similar ending. The Gophers were beaten by Susquehanna, 3-0 (25-10, 25-7, 25-22).

The first time Goucher led in the Juniata match was when the Eagles (16-1, 4-0 Landmark) committed a hitting error on the first point of the third set. A service ace by Corinne Kahler (York, Pa./York Country Day) made it 2-0 in favor of the Gophers.

Goucher ran into a one-person wrecking crew in the Susquehanna match as Marykate Sherkness supplied the Crusaders (14-6, 4-1 Landmark) with 18 kills. Sherkness made only one hitting error in 24 attempts to finish with an amazing .708 attack percentage.

The Gophers (6-14, 0-5 Landmark) jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third set, earning two of those points on aces by Jess Jameyson (Lexington, Mass./Lexington).

From the time Susquehanna came back to tie the score at 8-8 and the Crusaders clinched the set and match on a kill by Rachel Wherry, there were eight more ties and the lead changed hands five times. Goucher's last lead was 21-20 on an attack error by the opponent.

Kelly Budge (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan) finished with a team-high total of 14 kills in the two matches.

The first of the Gophers' remaining two home matches this season is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Lancaster Bible.