GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Keri Godbe reached new career highs in digs and kills as the Haverford College volleyball team took down Elizabethtown College, 3-1, in non-conference action at Gettysburg College on Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the day, the Fords suffered their first Centennial Conference loss of the season when they fell, 3-1, to the host Bullets.
Haverford (10-4, 1-1 CC) shook off a narrow loss in set one (23-25) against the Blue Jays (10-8) by registering their own 25-23 victory in set two. The score remained close in the third set with the Fords trailing just once at 4-3. A 24-24 deadlock was the ninth and final time the score would be tied as Haverford closed out the 26-24 win with the help of consecutive kills from Godbe.
Looking to end the match, the Fords, without a senior on the roster, persevered like battle-tested veterans. Haverford fell behind several times by three points over the course of set four but remained focused on the task at hand.Trailing 20-17, the Fords tallied six of the next seven points with the help of three kills from Meg O'Day and two more from Godbe. Elizabethtown fought back to forge a 24-24 tie but Haverford was not to be denied as O'Day and Godbe came through with another kill each to secure the 26-24 victory.
Godbe finished with a career-high 27 kills which was a new program record for a match lasting four sets. The sophomore was also a weapon at the service line as she registered three aces. O'Day added 21 kills and Nina Mutty contributed 10 more.
Olivia Walsh and Abby Keller shared time directing the offense with 34 and 21 assists, respectively.
Haverford's team defense was a factor in the tight contest as the Fords came up with 107 digs. Godbe once again seemed to be everywhere as she tallied a career-high 32 digs but she had plenty of help as Mutty (20), Madison Fuelling (19), Sarah Brody (12) and Keller (11) also reached double figures. O'Day aided the cause with one solo block and three block assists.
Kelci Scannapieco led the Blue Jays with 17 kills and Mary Clyne had a match-high 47 assists.
Earlier in the day, the Fords fell to the host Bullets, 3-1, despite a combined 45 kills from O'Day, Godbe and Mutty. Haverford earned a 25-22 victory in set one but Gettysburg (8-8, 2-1 CC) notched wins in the next three sets (22-25, 21-25, 18-25) to claim the conference victory.
O'Day paced the offense with 18 kills while Godbe and Mutty chipped in with 15 and 12, respectively. Walsh tallied 31 assists and Keller registered 18.
Mutty led the defense with 20 digs and Brody added 18 more. Godbe also reached double digits in digs with 17.
Sarah Gorski was a factor for Gettysburg with 17 kills and five block assists.
The Fords get right back into Centennial action on Wednesday when they travel to Ursinus College to take on the Bears at 7 p.m.