Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette
Bucknell Volleyball Redeems Itself Against Lafayette With 3-1 Win
11/15/2008 7:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 15, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Sophomore Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) posted a double-double with 20 kills and 15 digs, and senior Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) tallied a season-best 49 assists as the Bucknell volleyball team defeated Lafayette 3-1 at Davis Gym on Saturday. The Bison (13-17, 8-6) also hit a season-high .398, compared to Lafayette's (12-18, 5-9) .245.
Although emotions were running high following Bucknell's Senior Night ceremony, the Bison got off to a less than emphatic start. The two teams stayed neck-and-neck through much of the first half of the opening set. With a kill by Pitsch to make the score 9-6, things started going the way of the Orange and Blue. Several Bucknell attackers got in on the action, with Segal and freshman Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) each recording two kills, and sophomore Heidi Kamp, senior Liz Hazuka and freshman Taylor Willis tagging on one kill apiece over the next several points. A timeout by the Leopards at 21-17 did little to help them regain momentum. Despite a kill by Lafayette's Katrina Racibarskas down set point, the Bison pulled out the 25-20 victory after a kill by Kamp.
The second set displayed much of the same with a well-balanced attack from the Bison's side of the net. Segal opened play with one of many kills on the night. Willis and Hazuka each added one more, and Bucknell led 8-5. Kamp recorded a kill at 9-6, then followed it up with back-to-back service aces to put the home team up by five.
Lafayette climbed back in the set behind solid serving from Megan Carter and came within one point. Hazuka stopped the run with a kill, and the Bison took charge of the set again. The Leopards came within two points before the end of the set, but Bucknell never gave up its lead. With Pitsch serving at 23-20, she set the stage for a kill by Willis then finished the set with one of her three service aces. Bucknell came out on top for the second consecutive set, 25-20.
Lafayette was not willing to let Bucknell end the regular season with a sweep, however. With the Leopards up 10-7 in the third, the Bison were forced to call a timeout. The stoppage in play turned out to be just what the home team needed, as Hazuka came out swinging and recorded an immediate kill. McAhren posted a kill a few points later to tie the score at 13 apiece. Segal then served one of her two aces to put the Bison ahead.
Bucknell led by as many as four in the third after a solo block by Willis, but Lafayette slowly worked its way back in the set. The two teams traded points until Lafayette finally got the two consecutive scores it needed to end the set in their favor, 26-24.
As the fourth set got underway, it looked as if it were going to be a repeat of the previous set. Bucknell called a timeout trailing 10-6 before working its way back in the contest behind two kills from freshman Katie Baumgarten (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena). Baumgarten's second kill tied the set, and it was Lafayette's turn to call a timeout to regroup.
The Leopards responded well out of the pause in play, but they quickly fell back into the habit of committing errors. Bucknell took advantage of those misplays before making some success of their own. At 17-16, the Bison went on a five-kill hitting streak thanks to Segal, who had three of the points, and Willis, who claimed two. The Orange and Blue suddenly found themselves leading 22-16. Not about to slow down, Segal and McAhren teamed up for a block on the next point, Segal posted a kill for one more point and Pitsch sealed the victory with a match-ending service ace. Bucknell took the fourth set and the match, 25-16.
Head coach Cindy Opalski could not have been more pleased with the way her team finished the regular season.
"What a great run we're having," she said. "It's a terrific blend of senior experience and young people who are making contributions, but the thing that has me most excited is that we're playing well in November. We're having some of the best production of the fall."
Opalski also has some clear goals heading into the Patriot League Tournament next weekend.
"Although we're a young team, we're not just going to the championship to have a good experience," she said. "We're going to the championship to bring that cup back home to Bucknell."
Following Segal in the kills category was Hazuka with 11 and Willis and Kamp with eight apiece. Adding to her 49 assists, Pitsch tallied five kills on five attempts and contributed six digs. Senior Sheena Czipri (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) also threw in eight digs, and sophomore Rachel Rodriguez (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) had six. Kamp also had three aces.
Cara Mulholland and Racisbarskas led the Leopards with 13 kills apiece. Carter had a team-high 39 assists, and Kari Horn led with 10 digs.
The Bison are back in action on Friday, Nov. 21 when they head to American to face the Eagles in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. The winner of that match will play the winner of the Army/Colgate match on Saturday.
