WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore middle blocker Gracie Reisman had a match-best 10 kills as the Holy Cross volleyball team fell by a 3-0 score to Patriot League opponent Lafayette Saturday afternoon in Coach George Blaney '61 Gymnasium.

The win moved the Leopards to 9-10, 5-6 PL while the loss was the 16th of the season and 10th in league play for the Crusaders.

Reisman's 10 kills were a season-high watermark. She also hit .273 in the contest. Freshman outside hitter Lily Eigner played an important role off the bench for the Crusaders with four kills and two total blocks across two sets played.

SET SCORES:

• Leopards 3, Crusaders 0 (22-25, 19-25, 19-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders jumped out to a 6-2 lead when junior Abbie Lane pushed a reception attempt over the net for a kill forcing Lafayette into a timeout. Holy Cross led by five, 16-11 when senior Sanaea Simmons returned the ball to the Lafayette side to register a kill. The Leopards battled back to level the set via a 6-1 burst at 17-17. Three straight kills off the swing of Reisman put the hosts in front 20-17. Lafayette closed the set on an 8-2 run to lead 1-0 in the match.
• The guests built up a 7-1 lead in the second set. A Crusader attack error pushed the Leopards' lead to 17-9. Holy Cross made some substitutions and it paid immediate dividends as they went on a 7-2 run. Kills from freshmen Eigner, Maeve Bailey and Emma Halstead combined with back-to-back Halstead aces moved Holy Cross within three, 19-16. Lafayette doubled up the Crusaders 6-3 to capture the set.
• Lafayette started off fast in the third set building a 7-2 lead. A junior Lauren Halverson kill on the right pin trimmed the deficit in half, 8-4. Lafayette used an 8-3 scoring binge to open up an 18-9 lead late. On match point, the Crusaders continued to attack getting a couple of blocks from Simmons and Eigner to make it 24-19 before Lafayette took the match.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Bailey notched her first collegiate kill in the second set.
• Simmons paced all players with four total blocks.
• Sophomore setter Katie Russell dished out a match-best 19 assists.
• Halstead's three aces matched a career-high.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross wraps up their three game homestand on Friday, Oct. 27 against Colgate.
• First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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