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HAMILTON – Colgate volleyball ended the regular season on a remarkable run, winning seven of their last eight games and capped it off with a 3-0 victory over the Lafayette Leopards Sunday afternoon at Cotterell Court.
 
The Raiders strong finish to the season and impressive RPI keeps them in contention for a spot in the recently re-formed National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
 
First-year Alli Lowe continued her impressive play in her rookie campaign with a match-high 13 kills in the winning effort. She has now recorded double-digit kills in 22 of Colgate's 28 matches.
 
Junior Katie Stansbury had an impressive afternoon for the Raiders as she picked up her 11^th double-double of the season with 10 kills and tied for the team-lead with 15 digs. Sophomore Taylor Flaherty rounded also had a great day on the attack with 10 kills as well.
 
Despite a slow start, the Raiders caught fire midway through the first set and dominated for the rest of the match by taking all three sets.
 
Colgate and Lafayette traded points for most of the early part of the first set before the Leopards took an 11-7 lead. After a Raiders timeout, Lafayette took a 13-8 lead but that was the largest lead they could manage as the Raiders recorded nine of the next 12 points to take a 17-16 lead and go on to win the match.
 
The second set was all Colgate as the Raiders benefitted from five service aces as well as four service errors from Lafayette. Colgate's longest streak of points in the match came late when they got five straight points to take a 23-11 lead late in the match before Flaherty's service closed the set with the 13-point win.
 
Flaherty picked up where she left off with a kill to open the third set and after back-to-back service aces from Peighton McRobie and a kill from Stansbury Colgate lead 5-2. The Raiders continued to rack up the points and maintain a solid five-point cushion for much of the set to clinch the win 25-20 set win and a 3-0 win in the match.
 
BOTTOM LINE

• Colgate 3, Lafayette 0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-20)

 
WON-LOST RECORDS

• The Raiders improve to 18-10 on the season and finish 9-7 in Patriot League play with their seventh win in the last eight matches
• The Leopards fall to 5-24 (2-14 Patriot League) with their ninth consecutive loss

 
KEY RAIDER INFO

• Lowe posted 13 kills for her 22^nd double-digit kill performance
• Stansbury recorded her 11^th double-double of the season with 10 kills and 15 digs
• Flaherty added 10 kills for the Raiders, her eight double-digit kill match of the season
• Libero Bridget Kolsky had 15 digs to close out the regular season with a team-high 345 digs
• McRobie led the Raiders with three service aces
• Sanderson picked up 39 assists in the win

 
FACTS & FIGURES

• The Raiders totaled a .280 hitting percentage compared to the Leopards' .200
• Colgate had eight service aces compared to none for Lafayette
• The Raiders benefitted from 45-33 advantage in kills

 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Ryan Baker

• "This was a great way to end our season.  I felt we had a really strong passing game, which allowed us to have a very efficient attack.  

 

• "It's certainly disappointing to end our chances of making the Patriot League tournament because of a tie-breaker that goes to points.  I felt we certainly are tournament team, but we can't control it.

 

• "We are up for an NIVC bid because of how strong of an RPI we have. Our non-conference wins along with the big winning streak have put us in a good position for additional postseason play. This would be awesome as this team and seniors deserve more.  We will continue practicing and wait to hear if we clinch a postseason bid."

 
UP NEXT

• The Colgate volleyball team has closed out the 2017 regular season and will wait to see if they qualify for the 64-team field of the 2017 National Invitational Volleyball Championship held from Nov. 28 through Dec. 12.