GALLOWAY, N.J. – In its final match at the Osprey Classic on the Stockton University campus, the Haverford College volleyball team was defeated in three sets by the host Ospreys, a team that reached an NCAA Regional Final a season ago. Set scores for the match were 25-21, 25-22, 25-18. Haverford falls to 6-7 on the season in defeat while the Ospreys improve to 13-4 with the win. Natalie Pisch tallied a career-best six total blocks while Kaylynn Mayo added five in the contest.
Haverford sprinted out to an early 12-5 lead in the first set, with Stockton forced to take two timeouts as Haverford saw successful serving runs from Sara Matsumura and Hailey O'Mara. Stockton rallied back to cut the lead to 15-11 as Haverford made three straight errors with Jessica Ciandella at the service line. The Fords went up by three as late as 21-18 with a Mayo kill, but Stockton tallied six straight points, to take the lead 24-21. Kendall Robison registered a kill to cut the lead to two at 24-22, but a block from Idi Uffen and Linsday Schuele gave Stockton a set one win.
As was a theme throughout the weekend, Haverford hung in tough against a formidable opponent in the second set of the morning matchup. Haverford took a 14-11 lead as Natalie Pisch registered back-to-back kills, leading to a Stockton timeout. After the break in the action, Stockton rallied back to tie it at 14-14, with the Fords calling for a timeout of their own. The teams traded points with Haverford taking an 18-17 lead, their last of the set. Stockton tallied four straight to go up 23-19, forcing the Fords into a timeout. Julia Gallagher-Teske was credited with a kill on a Stockton blocking error to cut the lead to 23-21, but Uffen registered a kill and Sarah Walsh punched down the final strike for a set two victory.
Haverford and Stockton were deadlocked in a close battle in set three, with the set tied as late as 17-17 after a Gallagher-Teske kill. Stockton then recorded seven straight points, wrapped around a pair of Haverford timeouts as Stephanie Kovacs did most of the work herself, with four kills and a block assist with Uffen. A service ace by Schuele put the Osprey on the brink before Uffen, as she had done all match, was part of a big moment for the hosts. Her kill gave Stockton the sweep. Uffen's standout performance included a game-best 18 kills, a solo block and eight block assists.
Pisch registered 11 kills to lead Haverford while Wong posted 27 assist. Matsumura had 14 digs. Ciandella (25) and Faith Hoagland (16) combined for 39 assists. Rebecka Zabilowicz had a game-high 21 digs for the tournament hosts.
The Fords now will return to Centennial Conference action on Wednesday night as Franklin & Marshall (9-5, 1-1 Centennial) comes to the Gooding '84 Arena for a 7:00 p.m. first serve.