Women's Volleyball 9/28/2010 11:12:00 PM

Lehman Winning Streak Reaches Four After Five Set Battle

When it comes to women's volleyball, it's been quite some time since Medgar Evers defeated Lehman.

So long in fact that CUNY does not have records stretching back that far (granted those posted on the CUNYAC site only start from 2004).

But things are different this year at Medgar Evers.

The team that finished 5-19 overall and 2-7 in the conference in 2009 has made a total about face and entered Tuesday night's match at 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the CUNYAC, setting up a battle for sole possession of second place.

And a battle it was as Lehman outlasted Medgar in five sets, Lehman's first five setter of the season, to take the match 19-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-15, and 15-10 to push their winning streak to four games.

“We never gave up,” said Lehman head coach Wolfgang Lucena. “These are the types of games we need to get ready for the championships.”

Medgar Evers seemed to catch the home team off guard with their improved play in the first set. Featuring athleticism around the net by Yvanna Jack, who blocked several shots, the Cougars built a 10-point advantage at one point, 21-11, on their way to the opening 25-19 set win.

Lehman snapped into gear in the second set, however, behind the steady serving of Lisa Jagdeo. With Jagdeo at the service line, Lehman opened the set with seven consecutive points and rode contributions from several players including Vanessa Brown, Besa Zabelaj and Jennifer Winkler to the 25-14 win.

Continuing the seesaw nature of the match, Medgar Evers never trailed in regrouping to take the third set 25-19.

Similar to the second set, Lehman opened up a 7-1 margin at the outset of the fourth before ballooning the lead to 23-9 and ultimately taking the set 25-15.

Tied at two sets a piece, Lehman's front court leader, Gerri-Ann Martin, let her earlier tentativeness slip away to hit the ball with the authority that Coach Lucena knows she possesses. Registering four kills and utilizing a strong serve, Martin helped push the Lightning through, 15-10, to grab the five set victory.

“When Gerri-Ann decided to hit it,” said Lucena, “her talent shone though.

Not to be forgotten in the Lighting's win was the play of outside hitter Colleen Walker, who battled through a jammed finger to provide a steadying influence to her teammates.

“Colleen was the player of the match for us,” noted Lucena. “She was determined and solid with her weakside passes.”

The Lightning put their four game winning streak on the line on Thursday night when they host a doubleheader against USMMA-Kings Point and SUNY Purchase. If the Lightning are going to continue their run of success, assistant coach Joel Sanchez knows things need to be better.

“Tonight was a wakeup call on what it takes to get to the next level,” said Sanchez. “We need to keep working on being more consistent.”

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