Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Volleyball Sweeps Navy for Second Time in 2008
10/18/2008 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 18, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman Kyeligh McAhren recorded a career-high 14 kills on .545 hitting (14-2-22) to help the Bucknell volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Navy on Saturday in Davis Gym. Not to be outdone, sophomore teammates Kaitlin Segal totaled 13 kills, and Heidi Kamp finished with 11 kills and a .556 hitting percentage (11-1-18).
“I thought it was a really good effort, especially from our middle blockers (McAhren and Kamp),” said head coach Cindy Opalski. “When we can pass well enough to run a middle attack every time, we're going to be a very difficult team to stop.”
The Bison (9-14, 4-3) started the match slowly and found themselves down by as many as five points at 11-6 in the first set. Segal, who had seven kills in the first, helped keep the home team close, but Bucknell struggled to make a major run that could bring them any closer than two points to the Midshipmen (13-8, 2-5).
The Orange and Blue finally made their move and tied the set at 20 apiece off a block by freshman Anne Ellenberger and McAhren. Navy gave up the lead for good with an attack error, and Segal served an ace for the set, 25-21.
The second set opened with Segal's eighth kill of the match, but Navy made sure it stayed in the contest. Despite three kills from McAhren and two from Kamp in the first half of the set, the Bison found themselves at an 11-10 disadvantage. The Mids' lead did not last long, however. Senior Liz Hazuka put her team up 16-13 before Segal extended the lead to four with a kill of her own. McAhren recorded back-to-back kills for Bucknell's largest advantage at 22-17. A Navy timeout at 23-18 was not enough to turn the tides, and the Bison took the second set, 25-19.
With momentum seemingly in Bucknell's favor, the Bison varied their third-set line-up. The moves proved beneficial as junior Lindsay Smith gave the home team its first point with her only kill of the day. Kamp's kill to set the score at 2-1 stole the lead from Navy for good.
Although the Midshipmen closed the gap to as little as one point late in the set at 21-20, the Bison never let their opponents pull ahead. Bucknell called a timeout, and Hazuka reopened play with consecutive kills. Kamp and senior Shannon Pitsch combined for a block to give Bucknell match point, and sophomore Rachel Rodriguez served it out, closing the match at 25-20.
The combined 39 kills from McAhren, Segal and Kamp were greatly aided by Pitsch's 39 assists. Defensively, Segal was one dig shy of a double-double and tied freshman Emily Sawanobori for a team-high nine digs. McAhren's three block assists were good for best on the team and was followed by two from Kamp.
Jessie Sims led Navy with 10 kills, while teammate Marissa Watson contributed 20 assists. The Midshipmen also had defensive match highs from Holly Berger with 11 digs and Maida Kalic' with five blocks.
Bucknell is back on the road next weekend when it takes on Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 in Easton, Pa. The team continues on Saturday, Oct. 25 with a 4 p.m. match at Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa.
