GREENCASTLE, Ind. - Host DePauw spoiled Allegheny's 2016 North Coast Athletic Conference opener, as the Tigers topped the Gators 3-0.
The Tigers (11-3, 1-0 NCAC), who entered play just outside of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25, won by scores of 25-15, 25-16, and 25-22.
Leah Franzluebbers led Allegheny (8-7, 0-1 NCAC) with 11 kills, committing just one error to hit an effective .370 clip.
Hannah Cubarney put away six kills, while
Terra Schall tallied 11 digs, and Kyle Karczewski nine.
DePauw showcased a strong game at both the net and at serve receive, as the Gators were held without a block or a service ace for the first time this season.
Allegheny started strong, holding the lead for the opening stages of the first set. A Franzluebbers kill, followed by a DePauw attack error put the visitors up 6-3, and the Gators would stay in front for the next several serves. After the Gators went up 9-8 on a setter's dump from Kelly, DePauw countered with a long 10-1 run, taking advantage of four Gator errors and a pair of setting errors to go up 18-10. Franzluebbers' fourth kill of the set would pull Allegheny to within 19-14, but the Tigers ended the set by claiming six of the next seven points to seal the 25-15 win. After the strong start, Allegheny struggled to regain its footing in the opening set, as the Gators hit -.147, with 10 errors against just five kills.
The second set started as a back-and-forth affair, with the Gators receiving kills from
Lauryn Long, Cubarney,
Meghan Uht, and
Alysha Crowther to go up 9-8. As was the case in the opener, however, DePauw countered with a lengthy run, scoring 11 of the next 13 points to jump in front 19-11 before a pair of Cubarney put aways trimmed the gap to 20-14. The Gators would get no closer, as DePauw scored five of the final seven points to take a 2-0 lead with the 25-16 set win.
DePauw took an early 4-2 lead in set three, before the Gators bounced back, using a 6-2 run, with kills from
Lauren Bodi and
Lauren Duffy, to jump in front 8-6. The advantage would remain at two points after Long's kill made it 10-8, but the Tigers used a lengthy surge to go up 17-14. The Gators answered right back, pulling to within one (18-17) after kills from Duffy and Franzluebbers. DePauw scored the next three points, but the Gators again made it a one-point game after a pair of DePauw errors and a kill from Cubarney. The Tigers would then pull away, scoring the final three points to claim the set 25-22, and the match 3-0.
DePauw was led by Elisabeth Wilson, who put down 11 kills and added a match-high four blocks, while teammates Kaylee Nichols and Rachael Lenderman each tallied 12 digs.
The Gators will have a quick turnaround, returning to NCAC play on Sunday with a 1 p.m. bout at defending conference champ Wittenberg.
