Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
St. Peter's
Bucknell Volleyball Cruises to 3-0 Victory Over St. Peter's in 2009 Season Opener
8/28/2009 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 28, 2009
NEW YORK – Bucknell volleyball began its 2009 season with a 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-17) defeat over St. Peter's on Friday at the St. Francis (N.Y.) Invitational. Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) and Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) each recorded double-digit kills, while Rachel Rodriguez (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Allison Gittings (Dayton, Md./Glenelg) chipped in double-figure assists. The win marked the first season-opening victory for the Bison since the start of the 2002 campaign.
Bucknell (1-0) held St. Peter's (1-1) to a .096 hitting percentage on the night. The Bison, however, came in at .376 with a team kill total of 41 compared to the Peahens' 29.
Head coach Cindy Opalski was pleased with how the entire team responded in its first match of the season.
“We came out and played with good intensity,” said Opalski. “We were able to see everybody play and, although some people had more minutes than others, it was a great team effort.”
The first half of the opening set remained close with the teams staying within a single point of each other before Ragin Jackson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) started the ball rolling for the Bison. In her first collegiate competition, the freshman claimed back-to-back kills to give her team its 11th and 12th points. At 12-9, Bucknell had its first multiple-point lead of the match.
Four consecutive points by Bucknell forced St. Peter's into a timeout trailing 17-10. The Bison reopened play with a McAhren kill before the Peahens committed four straight errors. St. Peter's managed just one more point in the set off a kill from Monique Flores, but Bucknell was long gone. A block assist by McAhren and Heidi Kamp (Eugene, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) closed out play in the first, 25-11.
The Bison started the second set in a hurry, getting out to a 12-5 advantage. St. Peter's did its best to get back in the game, however, drawing to within three after earning four straight points. Undeterred, the Bison kept the set under control, eventually growing the lead to as many as seven on a kill by Lindsay Smith (Boulder, Colo./Monarch). Although the see-saw of momentum continued late in the game, Bucknell again came out on top. Kamp recorded three kills to give the Orange and Blue the final push it needed and take the set 25-22.
The third set saw another flux in momentum, as Bucknell ran out to a quick 4-1 lead following a kill by Segal. St. Peter's bounced back by getting kills from five different players and soon found itself with an 11-10 advantage.
Similar to the first set, Jackson kick started the action for Bucknell again with a kill. The Bison then took nine of the next 11 points. Kills by McAhren, Jackson and Segal as well as services ace from Rodriguez and Segal and a block solo from Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) gave Bucknell the18-13 lead. Bucknell stayed strong to the end, finishing the night on a kill from Segal and ending the third 25-17.
McAhren completed the night with a team-best 11 kills, while Segal came in at 10. Rodriguez and Gittings posted 17 and 16 assists, respectively, while Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) led the squad with 17 digs. McAhren also registered a career-high nine digs.
Stephanie Phillips led St. Peter's with 10 kills, while Shannon Doheny pitched in 24 assists.
In earlier matches, St. Peter's defeated St. Francis, 3-1. NJIT also defeated St. Francis, 3-0.
The Bison are back in action for day two of the St. Francis Invitational at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. tomorrow. Bucknell takes on the host St. Francis in the first match of the day, followed by NJIT.
