Gophers' Playoff Hopes Swept Away at Elizabethtown

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Needing a pair of victories in its final Landmark weekend tournament of the regular season to have a chance at qualifying for the playoffs, Goucher instead registered two defeats this afternoon, dropping straight set decisions to hosting Elizabethtown and Moravian.

The day began with a 25-16, 25-10, 25-19 defeat at the hands of the Blue Jays (10-15, 2-4 Landmark). Moravian (14-16, 4-3 Landmark), which clinched the fourth and final postseason spot, defeated the Gophers (8-18, 1-6 Landmark) 25-21, 25-21, 25-19.

No Goucher player recorded more than four kills against Elizabethtown, which was powered by a dominant 19-kill performance from Kelci Scannapleco. She finished with half of her team's 38-kill output for the match.

Val Kirsch (Westport, Conn./Staples) totaled a team-high 14 digs, while Kelly Budge (Harrington Park, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan) chipped in four kills and nine digs.

Corinne Kahler (York, Pa./York Country Day) added three aces in the opening match, and she also tied a career-high with 10 kills in the later contest against the Greyhounds. Kahler additionally picked up 10 digs for her first career double-double in the night cap.

Kirsch and Budge each tallied 11 digs, while Sarah Johnson (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) fired in four of the team's five aces. The Gophers held an 18-13 advantage in the opening set, but Moravian responded with a 10-1 run to take control.

Goucher again had a five point lead in the following set, this time at 10-5, but the Greyhounds took the lead for good at 14-13 during an 8-1 spurt overall. The Gophers pulled within one at 22-21 after a Kahler kill before three straight points for Moravian clinched the 2-0 set advantage. The Greyhounds never trailed in the final set.

Goucher now has five matches remaining in the 2014 season. The final stretch begins with a 7 p.m. road matchup at Delaware Valley next Thursday.