The volleyball team had an impressive weekend, defeating the Lafayette Leopards Friday and the Lehigh Mountain Hawks Saturday. Both matches resulted in 3-0 wins.
It was strong offense that led the Eagles to a 3-0 win against the Leopards. With hitting averages of .390 for the second game and .462 for the third, it was no wonder the Eagles dominated the court.
Game one started off with both teams neck and neck. However, that changed when Chelsa Brooks hit two spikes, opening up the winning floodgates for the Eagles.
Having one win under their belt, the Eagles came in just as strong for game two. With help from teammates Brooks and Rubena Sukaj, each scoring five kills, AU opened with a 10-4 lead. They would go on to win the game 30-17.
Game three was all about successful attacks. The Eagles recorded 20 kills on 39 attempts with only two errors. Christina Nash recorded a noteworthy 16 assists and three digs, helping the Eagles achieve their final score of 30-16.
The victory against the Mountain Hawks on Sunday was just as sweet for the Eagles; it was the team's 11th win at home. AU finished off the game recording a .462 hitting average, the second highest of the season. This was their 33rd consecutive Patriot League win.
Notable teamwork and skills gave the Eagles the advantage. In the first game against the Mountain Hawks, freshman Cassandra Ricketts recorded the second double-double of her career by scoring 12 kills and digging 10 Mountain Hawk attempts. Ricketts also hit an impressive .647 hitting average, a match high.
Setter Nash recorded a match-high 34 assists, while sophomore Claire Recht was credited with two blocks.
Senior Brooks dominated on the court. She finished the match with double-digit kills, while junior Sukaj earned a .625 average with 20 kills and landed four aces in a row.
It should be noted that Sukaj's volleyball skills aren't going unnoticed. The junior was recently named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Week and the Baden Player of the Week.
The next two games were just as successful for the Eagles. While game three proved to be difficult for the team when it found itself trailing behind its opponents in the beginning, The Eagles tied the score up twice and pulled through to finish game three with a score of 30-22.
AU has a big weekend in Bender. They play against Army on Friday night and Holy Cross at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Head to Bender Arena and support your Eagles as they take on their rivals.
