Bucknell University
UNC Greensboro
Bucknell Volleyball Splits on Day Two of the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational
9/1/2007 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2007
Box Score vs. UNC Greensboro
Box Score vs. Duquesne
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Bucknell volleyball team split its two results on the second day of the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational, defeating UNC Greensboro, 3-0, but falling to Duquesne, 3-2, in a hard-fought final match. The Bison are now 3-3 on the season while the Spartans sit at 4-4 and the Dukes move to 5-1 on the year.
To begin the day's action, the Bison opened up with a 30-23 game one win over UNC Greensboro. After trailing 18-16, Bucknell went on an 8-1 run, forcing a timeout by the Spartans. UNC Greensboro would tally the next point, but the Orange and Blue outscored the Spartans the rest of the way by a 6-3 margin, capped off by two kills by senior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek).
Bucknell began game two with a commanding 11-4 lead and went ahead by as many as eight, until UNC Greensboro climbed back within one at 29-28. Then, for a second-straight game, Henderson sent down a kill for the deciding point.
The Bison were in front by eight at 20-12 in game three and were on the verge of closing out the match at 27-22, when the Spartans used a 6-2 run to cut their deficit to 29-28, prompting a Bucknell timeout. Following the break, Henderson used her match-best 17th kill to seal the victory for the Orange and Blue.
Behind Henderson, freshman Heidi Kamp (Springfield, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) totaled eight kills and hit .312 (8-3-16) with two blocks. Junior Emilie Hardinge (Darien Conn./Darien) set a new career high with five service aces and contributed nine digs. Sophomore Jennifer Rupp (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) posted a match-best 15 digs and junior Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) compiled 38 assists.
For UNC Greensboro, Branagan Fuller and Kaitlyn Nortz recorded totals of 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Catherine Hanners chipped in with 13 digs and Lisa Fawell had 21 assists.
"Against UNCG, we were able to get a lot of different people into the match," said Bucknell head coach Cindy Opalski. "Our freshmen came in and gave us great energy. The match really showcased our level of depth."
In game one of their final contest of the weekend, the Bison held a four-point lead over Duquesne at 16-12 when the Dukes rattled off eight straight points to jump on top, 20-16, and held the advantage the rest of the way for a 30-25 decision to go up 1-0 in the match.
Bucknell responded with a 30-26 game two victory to pull even with Duquesne. Trailing 11-7, the Bison tallied eight consecutive points to take a 15-11 lead. The Dukes quickly erased their deficit to tie the score at 15. Later, with the score even at 23, the Bison went on a 3-0 run and held off Duquesne in the remainder of the frame.
The Dukes answered back in game three with a 30-24 win after racing out to a 4-0 lead and never trailing. Then in game four, Duquesne held the advantage for the majority of the way though, until Bucknell used a 5-0 run to pull ahead, 24-23. The Dukes promptly tied things up at 24, but the Bison forced a game five by outscoring Duquesne, 6-2, to claim a 30-26 victory.
In game five, an 8-2 deficit proved too much for the Orange and Blue to recover from and the Dukes clinched the match win with a 15-10 decision.
For a second time on the evening, Henderson paced the Bison attack, posting 23 kills and also adding eight digs. Hardinge followed with 10 kills to go along with nine digs and two service aces. Senior Tessa Mendez (Denver, Colo./Colorado Academy) matched her career high with eight kills and hit .412 with just one error in 17 attempts. Kamp registered nine kills and five block assists, while her classmate, Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) tallied seven kills and 12 digs. Pitsch turned in a balanced performance with 53 assists, seven kills, seven digs and three service aces and Rupp finished with a team-high 22 digs.
"Jenna was a workhorse for us all weekend," commented Opalski. "Jenn Rupp really stepped up her game defensively and Emilie did a great job from the back row as well."
Dana McLaughlin led Duquesne with 22 kills and completed her double-double with 17 digs. Nicole Wright had a double-double, as well, with 13 kills and 21 digs. Jessica Artman and Jenni Gross contributed kill totals of 18 and 13, respectively. Amy Patko recorded a match-best 23 digs, Katie Goss had 16 digs and Chelsea Tillotson dished 45 assists.
Bucknell will return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 5, when the Bison will travel to Baltimore, Md., to take on Morgan State in a 7 p.m. contest.
