Sophomore outside hitter Julie Lauro was named Centennial

Only one Mule has ever topped Lauro’ 2003 kill and dig totals in a single season. That was Allison Verduin in 1999.

Conference co-player of the week.

Lauro recorded 24 kills and a career-high 31 digs in the Mules’ stunning 3-2 win at Franklin & Marshall – their first defeat of the Diplomats since 1992. She added 13 kills as Muhlenberg swept Washington in three games. For the week, Lauro averaged 4.58 kills and 4.67 digs, moving into third place on the school’s single-season kills list (441) and fourth place on the single-season digs list (368).

It was Lauro’s second player of the week selection of the season and the third of her career. She stands fifth in Mule history with 887 career kills.

Lauro leads Muhlenberg with 4.32 kills per game and a hitting percentage of .235. She is second in digs per game with 3.61.

Sophomore forward James Henshaw played a part in each of the first two goals for the Mules (14-4, 8-0). In the sixth minute, he passed the ball to freshman Scott Clausen, whose point-blank shot was stopped by the Ford goalkeeper. Mule senior Evan Smallwood was waiting as the ball deflected off the goalie, and headed it in for a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Smallwood’s seventh of the year, tying him with Henshaw and junior Nick Richardson for second on the team. Smallwood’s 20 points are the best on the squad.

Henshaw moved one point behind Smallwood with an assist on the second goal when he sent a cross from outside the left edge of the box to the far post where sophomore Christopher King headed it home for his second goal of the season.

Sophomore Matt Pitetti scored his first career goal in the 38th minute to finish the scoring. He retrieved a failed clear by Haverford (6-8-3, 2-4-2) and shot it in from 20 yards out.

The Mules had already clinched the top seed of in the conference playoffs and need a win in their regular-season finale to seal their first unbeaten, untied CC season since the 1995 team cruised through the conference schedule and went all the way to the national semifinals. The Mules close the regular season by hosting Ursinus on Saturday.

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