KEENE, N.H. - Rookie OH Eva Lekovic (San Marino, Calif.) totaled 27 kills to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a sweep of the Keene State College Owls and the University of Southern Maine Huskies in volleyball action this afternoon. The Bantams shut out University of Southern Maine, 3-0, and took a five-set nail bitter (3-2) against host Keene State at Spaulding Gymnasium. The victories improved the Bantams' record to 10-12. Trinity returns to Oosting Gymnasium next Thursday and Friday to compete in their last two regular season matches against NESCAC rivals Wesleyan University and Connecticut College.
Trinity came out strong in the first match against Southern Maine. The Bantams totaled 14 kills in the first set allowing them to pull through a 25-17 win, overcoming a 4-0 run by the Huskies early. A kill from junior Molly Bernstein (Oakland, Calif.) allowed Trinity to tie the set 13-13. From then on the Bantams were on fire with six more kills and sailed from there. Trinity pulled out 25-22 win in a the second set that ended with a Lekovic kill. The Bantams came out of the gates strong with a 4-0 lead. Luhnow controlled the Bantams offense with eight assists, allowing Lekovic to lead the Bantams with six kills. The Bantams swept the Huskies by winning the third set, 25-16. The Bantams used a 7-0 run to give them a 20-12 lead. Sophomore Lola Craig (Los Angeles, Calif.) and senior Hareena Johnson (Los Angeles, Calif.) combined for seven kills in the final set.
In the thriller against Keene State, Johnson paced the Bantams with 17 kills, while Luhnow and first-year Grace Sullivan (Fort Worth, Texas) combined for 54 assists. Trinity had a strong first set against the Owls, winning 25-18. After falling in the second set, 25-22, and a close third set, 26-24, the Bantams bounced back winning the fourth set, 25-15, and the fifth set, 17-15. Four Trinity players ended with 11 or more kills in the match.
The Bantams went on a 7-0 run to take the first set, and Johnson put the team on her back with three kills in a row giving the Bantams a 8-5 lead in set two. She again tied the game at 17-17 with a kill, but the Bantams fell short to Keene, 25-22. The third set was tight as the teams traded scores throughout. The Bantam offense was strong with 14 kills. The score was tied multiple times within the set, but a Trinity attack error allowed the Owls to win, 26-24. The home team put up a fight in the fourth set, yet Trinity went on a 10-0 run to take an 18-8 lead. Within that run Trinity had five kills. The Bantams stepped on the gas and won the set, 25-15. In the fifth set, Johnson carried the Bantams with five kills including points 16 and 17.
