Things Go South After Gophers Take Set from Cardinals

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Goucher captured the opening set in the first of the two Landmark Conference matches it was scheduled to play today, but after going up 1-0 on Catholic, the Gophers dropped the next three sets.

After bowing to the Cardinals 21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-11, head coach Michael Bossom's squad went up against Susquehanna and this time the match went only three sets as the Crusaders were victorious 25-10, 25-16, 25-10.

Megan Chalk (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) supplied the Gophers with a team-high 14 kills and 13 digs in the Catholic match.

By comparison, the Cardinals (9-9, 1-0 Landmark) didn't have a single player with more than five kills. Where the match turned in their favor, instead, was at the net as they scored nine points with blocks. Kathryn Herrington finished with three of Catholic's seven solo blocks.

Tori Rain (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) served eight aces in the two matches, including seven in the four-setter with Catholic.

The Gophers (9-12, 0-2 Landmark) managed only 14 kills the entire match and a .071 hitting percentage against Susquehanna. The Crusaders (20-4, 2-0 Landmark), on the other hand, finished with 38 kills and a .366 attack percentage, plus they earned 13 of their points with service aces.