Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Close Out Bucknell Volleyball Invitational with 3-0 Victory over La Salle
9/16/2006 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 16, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Three Bison earned all-tournament accolades as the Bucknell volleyball team closed out its own invitational tournament with a 3-0 victory over La Salle. The win moved the Bison to 8-6 on the season and the Explorers dropped to 4-9, overall.
For the second consecutive match, junior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek) led the Bucknell squad with 15 kills and hit .343 (15-3-35). Over the Bison's three matches at the Bucknell Invitational, she averaged 4.56 kills per game and hit .272 with five service aces (0.56 per game), helping her to an all-tournament team selection. Sophomore Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) totaled 35 assists and six digs against La Salle and was named to the all-tournament team, as well, after averaging 11.33 assists per game in the tournament with 2.56 digs per game. Senior Kristen Sydlowski (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) was selected as the Bucknell Invitational All-Tournament libero. In the win over the Explorers, Sydlowski contributed 22 digs and posted an average of 6.67 digs per game on the weekend.
Also helping the Bison past the Explorers were sophomore Emilie Hardinge (Darien, Conn./Darien), senior Amanda Grossmann (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and senior Sarah Groman (Hollister, Calif./San Benito). Hardinge registered 10 kills, two service aces and three blocks (1-2) in the match, while Grossmann had eight kills and hit .353 (8-2-17) and Groman recorded seven and hit .333 (7-2-15).
For the Explorers, Erin Sullivan posted a team-best 10 kills along with seven digs on her way to all-tournament team honors. Setter Caitlin Conner managed a double-double with 19 assists and 10 digs, Carolyn Judge added 13 digs and Jackie Cushman chipped in with eight digs.
In game one, Bucknell raced out to a 14-4 advantage and sailed to a 30-13 win behind a team hitting percentage of .375, while holding La Salle to an attack percentage of -.108.
The Bison trailed in game two, 14-13, before stringing together a 13-4 run to hold on for a 30-20 victory. Then in game three, the Explorers led once again midway through at 15-11. However, the Orange and Blue tallied the next five points to pull in front by a narrow 16-15 margin and never relinquished the lead, sealing the match with a 30-26 game three decision.
Bucknell will be back in action next Friday, Sept. 22, when the team will begin Patriot League play with a match against Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., at 7 p.m.
Bucknell Invitational All Tournament Team
Jenna Henderson - Bucknell
Shannon Pitsch - Bucknell
Erin Sullivan - La Salle
Lindsey Ensign - Princeton
Sheena Donahue - Princeton
Sam O'Brien - Wagner
All-Tournament Libero
Kristen Sydlowski - Bucknell
