Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Saint Francis (PA)
Bucknell Volleyball Stumbles Against Saint Francis (Pa.), Falls 3-0
9/12/2009 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 12, 2009
AKRON, Ohio – Bucknell volleyball continued to struggle to make much of their progress at the Akron Invitational, falling 3-0 to Saint Francis (Pa.) Saturday afternoon. Despite steady improvement in the early goings of the season, the Bison (3-6) were unable to find their rhythm in the 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 loss to the Red Flash (1-6).
Bucknell got off to a good start, receiving early production from Heidi Kamp (Eugene, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon). The junior middle blocker recorded a block solo for 2-0 and then teamed up with Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) for a block assist to regain the lead at 3-2.
Saint Francis started gaining momentum with back-to-back aces from Lauren Xiques at 6-4. Although Bucknell kept the set close, it was never able to pull ahead by more than a single point. Several underclassmen got in on the act, as freshmen Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel), Ragin Jackson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) and Jackie Landes (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Wildwood School) chipped in a handful of blocks and kills. It was junior Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake), however, that saved a match point with a kill down 24-21.
Despite coming close in the first set, the Bison were outhit by the Red Flash. In the end of the first, Saint Francis had a .250 hitting percentage compared to .179 for Bucknell, translating into a Red Flash 25-21 win.
The second set also began with both teams in a tight battle. Kamp again got a quick start as she and Lindsay Smith (Boulder, Colo./Monarch) earned the team's first point on a block assist. Kamp then recorded her third kill of the day for Bucknell's next score trailing 3-2.
Bucknell and Saint Francis continued to swap points through much of the first half of the set, but momentum shifted in favor of the Red Flash at 13-9. Although Jackson tried to slow the opponent with back-to-back points, first on a block solo and then on a kill, the Red Flash went on a 13-5 run to end the set. Saint Francis earned the most lopsided victory of the match in the second at 25-17.
The Bison freshmen stepped up to the plate in the third set. Jackson recorded another set of consecutive points, again with a block and a kill, to put Bucknell up 4-2. The freshman's second kill of the set kept the Bison ahead at 5-4, and Kelsey Sauer (Pleasant View, Tenn./Goodpasture Christian School) followed with a service ace. Edoho capped off the offense with a kill for 7-6.
Saint Francis then committed a series of errors, and Segal earned a kill to give the Bison their final lead of the match at 1-10. Although Bucknell tied the set twice, it was unable to clear the final hurdle and regain complete control of the contest's momentum. Aces by Kamp and Lindsay Regruto (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School) and kills by Landes and Edoho could not keep Bucknell from dropping its third consecutive match in straight sets as the Red Flash took the 25-23 win in the third.
Segal had a team-high six kills, followed by five apiece from Jackson and Edoho. Jackson also finished with four blocks, including two block solos, to help Bucknell win the battle at the net. Bucknell posted seven team blocks on the afternoon, while the Red Flash finished with just three. Allison Gittings (Dayton, Md./Glenelg) led with 12 assists.
The Red Flash's Xiques had a match-best 12 kills, while Lauren Wingard finished with 10. Rikki Myers also led all players with 34 assists and 11 digs.
Bucknell returns to Davis Gym for its first home contest of 2009. The Bison host the Bucknell Invitational Sept. 18-19, taking on Delaware State, Radford and Rutgers. Live stats on GameTracker will be available for all matches at BucknellBison.com.
