Oct. 7, 2005

Box Score

Worcester, Mass. - The Holy Cross volleyball team fell to American, 3-0, by scores of 31-29, 30-10 and 30-21, in Patriot League action, on Friday evening at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass. With the loss, the Crusaders fall to 5-12 overall (1-4 PL), while the Eagles improve to 12-7 overall (6-0 PL).

Sophomore Christine Strawson (Torrington, Conn.) led Holy Cross in kills with 10 with a .348 hitting percentage, as she was second on the team in digs with eight. Junior setter Chrissy Fanning (East Amherst, N.Y.) led the Crusaders with 29 assists, while freshman Molly Anderson (Weston, Conn.) ranked first on the team in digs with nine. Sophomore Meagan Merinder (Andover, Mass.) had a solid match as she added six kills on seven attempts for .857 hitting percentage. Senior captain Caitlin O'Callaghan (Brooklyn, N.Y.) finished second in kills with eight.

The Eagles were led by Rubena Sukaj's 15 kills and Cutrina Biddulph's 14 kills, while Christina Nash led all players with 31 assists.

The first game could have gone either way as there was 17 times the game was tied and ten different lead changes. The Crusaders took a 14-11 lead half way through the game but the Eagles came back to tie it at 15. Holy Cross took a 29-27 lead when O'Callaghan tallied a kill but the Eagles then scored four unanswered points concluding with a service ace by Sukaj.

In game two the teams remained close until American scored 14 unanswered points to take a 23-6 lead as it went onto to a 30-10 win. Game three was tied at 16 before the Eagles pulled away for a 30-21 win to take the match.

The Crusaders return to the court when they host Navy in Patriot League action at the Hart Center on Saturday, October 8, at 7:00 p.m.