Marking the end of a season filled with both highs and lows, the volleyball team (9-15 overall, 5-11 Patriot League) traveled to Hamilton, New York to face off against the Colgate Raiders (20-7 overall, 13-3 Patriot League) on Saturday. The game was the Leopards’ last chance to punch a ticket to the Patriot League playoffs, but they fell in three sets to the Raiders.
The final game of the season began with positive momentum for the Leopards thanks to a string of kills from senior middle blocker Gracie Gibson. Going into what could have been her final game as a Leopard, Gibson knew that she and the team needed to leave everything on the court.
“We wanted to have no regrets since we knew it was very possibly our last game of the season, and playing hard was our main focus and goal no matter the result,” Gibson said.
Starting off with an early lead was the result of both strong offensive action from Lafayette and several attack errors by the Raiders. Freshman middle blocker Irelynd Lorenzen said that the team went into the game intending to come out with a win.
“We competed hard and played very well in the first set as we led most of the set,” Lorenzen said.
However, the lead did not last. The Leopards still led late in the set by a score of 19-16, but the Raiders went on a nine-point run that ended the first set in a 25-19 loss for the Leopards.
The second set brought a fresh wave of challenges for Lafayette, but according to Lorenzen, the team “did a good job of staying positive and working hard.”
Gibson emphasized the importance of not taking any moment for granted on the court or with her teammates, knowing the impact that this game would have.
“Even when things were not going our way, I tried to look at the positives and remind myself to enjoy every moment,” Gibson said. “I also think having that perspective [as a senior on the team] allowed me to play less tense and have fun despite the loss.”
Lorenzen said that she also had a unique perspective on the court as a freshman.
“[I] was able to enter each match without bias in what I expected from the other team, allowing me to enter each match wholeheartedly believing we could win,” Lorenzen said.
Though the Leopards maintained a positive attitude, Colgate’s offense was relentless with many kills that tested the Leopards’ defense. Despite the Leopards’ efforts, Colgate extended its lead, securing the second set with a commanding score of 25-14.
“As the match progressed we lacked consistency and had a hard time executing on offense which made it difficult for us to keep a lead,” Lorenzen said.
Entering the third set, Colgate maintained its momentum by establishing an 8-2 lead early on. However, Lorenzen scratched back with a couple of kills to keep the Leopards in the match. Colgate’s momentum proved insurmountable during the third set, which concluded with a score of 25-15, sealing Lafayette’s fate in its final game of the season.
