The Goucher women’s volleyball team claimed the opening set before falling 3-1 to the Blue Jays of Elizabethtown College in a Landmark Conference matchup at a Saturday tri-match in Baltimore. Goucher dropped to 6-9 overall and 0-2 in conference play, while Elizabethtown improved to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the conference.
The Bottom Line
- Goucher secured the first set 25-18, but Elizabethtown answered by taking the next three sets 25-13, 25-8, and 25-14.
- Caroline Carter led the Gophers with 10 kills, while Athena Savick recorded a game-high 22 digs.
- The Gophers look to rebound in the second match of Saturday’s tri-match against Central Penn College scheduled for 5 p.m.
Opening Set Momentum and Early Goucher Success
The Gophers opened the scoring with two Elizabethtown errors before Caroline Carter ignited the offense with back-to-back kills set by Grace Prusmack. Elizabethtown countered with five consecutive points to establish a four-point margin, causing Goucher to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Gophers answered with a four-point run of their own, prompting an Elizabethtown timeout. Alex Dzhygit and AaShyah De Vries contributed kills as Goucher maintained its momentum through the remainder of the set. The Gophers reached set point following a kill by Kanay Parham, who then sealed the 25-18 opening-set victory with a block.
Elizabethtown Response and Set-by-Set Breakdown
Following a service ace by Makayla Nasibi and kills from Carter—set by Athena Savick—the score was tied at four in the early stages of the second set. Elizabethtown answered with a five-point run to take a 9-4 lead and force a Goucher timeout. Sofia Ortiz delivered an assist on a Kelsi Hockaday kill, though the Blue Jays managed to push their advantage to 19-9. Juliana Stoneberg and Ludie Mouvi added late kills, but Elizabethtown took the second set 25-13 to even the match.
To open the third set, Stoneberg energized the Goucher attack as the Gophers forged a 2-0 lead. Elizabethtown seized control by rattling off nine unanswered points to go up 9-2, prompting a timeout from Goucher. Ortiz added a kill set by Savick, but Elizabethtown kept extending its advantage. Trailing 23-5, the Gophers scored three straight points behind a pair of Blue Jay errors and a Carter kill before Elizabethtown closed out the set 25-8.
Dzhygit opened the fourth set with a kill and added another shortly after. Carter recorded three kills as the Gophers built an early 7-4 advantage, forcing an Elizabethtown timeout. The Blue Jays responded following the timeout and eventually took a 13-8 lead. Goucher fought to the end with kills by Hockaday and Ortiz, but Elizabethtown pulled away to take the set 25-14 and seal a 3-1 victory in the match.
| Statistic Category | Goucher College | Elizabethtown College |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record (Pre-Match) | 6-9 | 10-5 |
| Conference Record (Pre-Match) | 0-2 | 2-0 |
| Match Result | 1 Set Won | 3 Sets Won |
Statistical Leaders and Upcoming Tri-Match Schedule
Carter led the Gophers with 10 kills, while Nasibi recorded three service aces. Prusmack finished with 13 assists, and Ortiz added six. Savick led all players with 22 digs, while Parham totaled three blocks and De Vries added two. The Gophers return to action for the second match of Saturday’s tri-match on Oct. 3 when they take on Central Penn College, with first serve scheduled for 5 p.m.
