Aug. 30, 2011

Box Score

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. - The Lafayette volleyball team got kills from eight different players and landed 21 aces en route to a season-opening, five-set win at St. Francis (N.Y.) on Tuesday evening. The Leopards overcame an early deficit before battling to the narrow victory by set score of 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 21-25 and 15-6.

The win in Brooklyn Heights is the first victory for the Leopards away from Kirby Sports Center since Nov. 14, 2009. Lafayette went 0-12 in road and neutral-site matches last season. St. Francis falls to 0-3 in defeat, having already dropped a pair of five-set showdowns in their 2011 campaign.

Sophomore Karissa Ciliento led the Leopards with 10 kills. Senior Alana Taylor and junior Kaitlynn Zoller each added nine finishers, while freshmen Camissa Beghou and Danielle Towslee had eight and seven, respectively, in their collegiate debuts.

Junior setter Sarah Frohnapfel tallied a match-best 45 assists and also notched 10 digs to complete a double-double. Frohnapfel filled out her statline with four aces, four kills and one block.

The Leopards' 21 aces came courtesy of eight players, led by six aces by freshman Melanie Weiss. Weiss also contributed from the back row with 10 digs. Senior libero Christy Mebust had 17 digs to lead all players.

Marina Georgieva posted a match-high 17 kills for the Terriers. She was joined in double figures by Jayma Copeland, who pounded 13 finishers in the losing effort.

The Leopards will open their home slate this weekend with the Lafayette College Tournament. Lafayette will host St. Peter's on Friday, Sept. 2 and meet both Rider and Fairleigh Dickinson on the following day.