Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette *
Bucknell Volleyball Wins Third Straight Five-Game Match, 3-2, over Lafayette
10/27/2006 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 27, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Cindy Opalski earned her 250th win as head coach of the Bison as the Bucknell volleyball team posted a 3-2 victory over Lafayette in Davis Gym on Friday evening. The win marked the third straight five-game match for the Orange and Blue, with Bucknell coming out on top in all three contests to sit at 16-10 overall and 7-3 in the Patriot League. With the setback, the Leopards dropped to 14-8, 6-4 in league play.
Junior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek) totaled a match-best 22 kills for the Bison and completed her ninth double-double of the season with 11 digs. Sophomore Emilie Hardinge (Darien, Conn./Darien) followed with 12 kills, while seniors Amanda Grossmann (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Sarah Groman (Hollister, Calif./San Benito) notched nine kills apiece. Groman and senior Jennie Smith (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) paced the squad with five blocks each and Grossmann contributed four. Sophomore Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) recorded a double-double with 53 assists and 11 digs, bringing her season assists total to 963, currently fifth-most in program history. Senior Kristen Sydlowski (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) climbed closer to Bucknell's single season digs record with 24 in the match and also compiled a match-high four service aces.
Four players led a balanced attack for the Leopards as Veronica Canto-Ponce, Michaela Donohue, Shannon Fisher and Cara Mulholland all finished with 13 kills apiece. Donohue and Canto-Ponce also reached double figures in digs with 16 and 14, respectively, while Kati Horn led the squad with 18 digs and Karla Barbiche tallied 14 digs. Fisher compiled 11 block assists in the contest and Megan Carter aided the offense with 50 assists.
In game one, Lafayette trailed 12-8, but rallied to take a 16-15 lead, which prompted a timeout by Bucknell. The Bison responded by recording the next three points to climb back out in front, 18-16, and would not trail for the duration on the way to a 30-27 victory.
Then in the second frame, with a narrow, one-point advantage at 15-14, the Leopards posted an 8-1 run to build a comfortable 23-15 lead and tied the match at one with a 30-24 result.
Bucknell took game three in convincing fashion as the squad hit .443, making just three errors with 22 kills in 43 attempts. The Bison were ahead by two, 12-10, and outscored the Leopards, 18-6, the rest of the way to win, 30-16.
Midway through game four, Lafayette used a 5-0 stretch to build a seven-point lead at 18-12 and saw their advantage shrink to no fewer than six, forcing a game five by capturing the fourth game, 30-22.
In game five, with the score knotted at 11, the Bison held the Leopards scoreless for the remainder of the frame and clinched the match with a 15-11 decision.
Bucknell returns to action tomorrow, Saturday Oct. 28, when the team will play host to Lehigh at 7 p.m. in Davis Gym.
