BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior outside hitter Abbie Lane posted a game-best 15 kills as the Holy Cross volleyball team was upended 3-0 by Patriot League foe Lehigh on Saturday afternoon in Grace Hall.

Lane hit a blistering .423 in the match for the Crusaders (3-8, 0-2 PL) while also recording her 500th career dig. Sophomore Rachel Johnson recorded 13 kills and a squad-high three service aces as well.

Leigh (9-3, 1-0 PL) was paced by Megan Schulte's 14 kills. Two other athletes hit over .500 in the contest for the Mountain Hawks.

SET SCORES:

• Mountain Hawks 3, Crusaders 0 (17-25, 16-25, 25-27)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders notched three straight markers getting kills from sophomore Gracie Reisman, Johnson and Lane to take their first lead at 3-2.  A Lehigh kill put them ahead by three, 9-6. A freshman Haley Gill ace brought the Crusaders within one, 9-8. At the media timeout, the Crusaders came out and Johnson roped the ball through the middle for a kill to make it 15-13. Lehigh built the margin to 20-13. An attack error dropped the Mountain Hawk lead to five, but they closed out the set.
• Back-to-back kills by Lane and Johnson leveled the score 3-3. Lehigh moved in front 13-10 near the midway point. Junior Rian Millership dropped the margin to two, converting a right side mash making it 14-12. A 6-2 binge moved the hosts ahead 20-14. Lane recorded her 10th kill of the match at 24-16. Lehigh took the 2-0 match lead on the next serve.
• With the third set knotted at 9-9, the Crusaders took a 13-9 edge thanks to four straight points as Lehigh took a timeout. Lane kept the Crusaders in front at 17-15 until Lehigh notched three straight forcing the Crusaders into a stoppage. Lehigh held a three point lead and Holy Cross kept attacking getting an attack error and two blocks, the game tying stuff by Reisman and junior Lauren Halverson making it 20 all. A Mountain Hawk block put them on the verge of a sweep, however, a service error combined with a pair of Johnson aces put the Crusaders one point away from forcing a fourth set. Lehigh notched the final three points to complete the sweep.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Lane has 531 kills and 500 digs in her career.
• Lane has tallied double-digit kills in four straight matches.
• Johnson has produced double-digit kills in 9-of-11 (81.8%) contests in 2023.
• Gill (13 digs) and sophomore Katie Russell (22 assists) led all players in each category.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders return home to face American on Friday, Sept. 22 in the Hart Center Arena for a Cousy Cup game.
• First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross volleyball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
Twitter - @HCrossVB | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossvb | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Volleyball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross