Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Volleyball Earns Second Straight Sweep, Downs Lehigh 3-0
10/2/2010 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 2, 2010
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bucknell volleyball extended its winning streak to three matches for the first time in four years after a decisive three-set win (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) over Lehigh at Leeman-Turner Arena on Saturday. Katie Baumgarten (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena) continued her strong recent play as well, equaling her career high with a team-best 10 kills and setting a new personal high in digs with 14 to bring the Bison's record to 5-11 overall and 3-1 in the Patriot League.
For the second night in a row, Baumgarten led the Bison in kills and set a career high in digs. The junior had eight kills and 12 digs Bucknell's sweep of Lafayette last night. With her performances, Baumgarten totaled 18 kills (3.0/set), 26 digs (4.33/set) in addition to serving two aces against the Mountain Hawks (7-9, 1-3) on Saturday.
Baumgarten got an early start to her Saturday with four kills in the first set. Her first came off an assist from Rachel Rodriguez (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) for 6-4, but Lehigh answered with a 5-0 run to take the lead. Baumgarten put an end to the Mountain Hawks' streak, registering back-to-back kills to bring the Bison back to within one at 9-8.
Play see-sawed for the next several points until Bucknell was finally able to put together a run of its own. Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) and Ragin Jackson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) teamed up for a block assist to tie the set at 19 and to start a 7-2 streak for the Bison. After taking back the lead on a Lehigh attack error, Bucknell never looked back and finished the set with a 25-21 score.
The Bison were able to maintain their momentum as play resumed in the second frame. Rodriguez and Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) opened with back-to-back kills, effectively keeping the Mountain Hawks from getting their own offense started. Although Lehigh tied things up at five all with a kill from Chelsea Sheridan, the home team never pulled ahead.
The Mountain Hawks committed 10 attack errors in the set, dooming them to a -.027 hitting percentage. That opened the door for Bucknell to take its largest advantage of the night at seven points late in the game. Heidi Kamp (Eugene, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) eventually finished things off with her fourth kill of the night to put the Bison up by two sets after a 25-20 decision.
Bucknell had to work a little harder in the final frame as Lehigh was able to keep its opponent at bay until the midway point. Having to really come behind for the first time that night, the Bison did not take their first lead until consecutive kills from Baumgarten and Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./Saint Ignatius College Prep) for 13-12. Even then, however, the Mountain Hawks stayed in the hunt as they answered with 7-1 run. Only a service ace from Rodriguez broke up the progress during that stretch.
Lehigh's Amanda Clark and Brittany Reichwein recorded a block assist for 18-15 before Bucknell decided to put an end to things. Kamp tallied a kill, and Mientus followed with an ace to bring the Bison back to within one. Kamp then rejected Lehigh's attempt at the net a few points later to put Bucknell back in front once and for all at 19-18. At the end of Bucknell's 10-3 run, which included a service ace, six kills and Kamp's block solo, the Bison called themselves winners for the third straight match, taking the third set 25-22.
Bucknell's three-match winning streak is the first since 2006. The Bison put together stretches of three, five and six victories during that season with the last coming late in the Patriot League schedule. Now with a 3-1 record in the league, Bucknell is in a three-way tie for second in the early standings.
While Baumgarten's 10 kills led all players, her 14 digs was second on the team. She was bested only by Leylin Marroquin (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) with 19. Mientus also finished with a career-best 10 digs. Rodriguez tallied 17 assists, and Kamp added four total blocks on the defensive side.
As a team, Bucknell registered a .215 attack percentage compared to .062 for Lehigh. It was the third consecutive match in which the Bison finished with a better average than their opponent having also bested Navy and Lafayette.
Bucknell will try to take its winning streak to four matches next Friday when it hosts Colgate at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8. The bout with the Raiders is the Bison's only match scheduled at Davis Gym this month.
