Bucknell University
Columbia
Bucknell Volleyball Ends Non-League Schedule with Pair of Losses at Columbia Classic
9/18/2010 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 18, 2010
NEW YORK - Bucknell volleyball dropped its final two matches of its non-conference schedule, falling 3-0 to Columbia and 3-1 to Fordham on the final day of the Columbia Classic. Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) led the Bison in kills in both matches, including a double-digit performance with 10 against the Rams. Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) also had a career night, setting personal bests in assists in both matches. Ragin Jackson (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) was ultimately named to the All-Tournament Team, finishing the weekend with 16 kills and 11 blocks.
Bucknell played its most competitive set in its last match of the tournament. Against Fordham (8-7), the Bison claimed a 31-29 win in the opening frame. The first set alone saw seven lead changes, and each team earned multiple set points before Bucknell came away with the victory.
The Bison earned its first lead of the contest at 9-8, but that was short lived. A Bison attack error soon gave the advantage back to the Rams at 10-9. That lead eventually grew to four points before Bucknell went on an 11-1 run. With some help from Jackson and Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) - each chipped in a kill and teamed up for a block assist - as well as three aces from Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) during that run, Bucknell pulled back in front 22-16.
The Bison earned set point on a Rams attack error, but it took some time for them to cash in on the opportunity. Fordham saved five straight points, eventually tying the set at 24 all. Jackson and Kristen Titley (Coral Gables, Fla./Palmer Trinity School) earned a block assist for the sixth set point, but Fordham's Kailee May registered a kill to knot things up again.
From that point, it was Fordham's turn to have set point but be unable to convert. Heidi Kamp (Eugene, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) erased one such point with a kill for 26 all, and the Rams committed an error to bring the score to 28-28, making them 0-for-2 in set-point conversions. With the set tied yet again at 29 all, Bucknell finally put together two straight points as Morgan Clark (Purcellville, Va./Loudon Valley) and McAhren posted kills for the win.
Bucknell was unable to take advantage of any momentum from the first set as it took a hard 25-16 loss in the second. Fordham dominated throughout the middle of the frame and, with some help from a 10-2 run, took a 10-point lead at 20-10. The Bison saved two set points at the end of play as Jackson recorded her seventh kill of the match and Kamp and Titley teamed up for a block, but the hole was too deep for Bucknell. The Bison were still a dozen points down and ultimately took their most lopsided loss of the night.
Bucknell was able to get back in the mix for the third set. Several players put up an effort that kept the set close, and the Bison pulled in front briefly at 12-11. Fordham responded with another run, however, claiming nine of the next 12 points. That put Bucknell down by five, which turned out to be the final difference as well, as Fordham took the 25-20 win.
Close play in the early goings continued to be Bucknell's trend in the fourth set, although the Bison did not claim their first lead until 10-9. The advantage hung around a few points and the score was tied three times through the middle of the set, but Bucknell's lead came to an end after 18-17 as Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) and Katie Baumgarten (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena) recorded a block. Fordham's May earned a kill on the next point for the tie and a Bison error soon gave up the lead for good.
Bucknell did not go away easily, however. The Bison tried to capitalize on three straight errors from the Rams, tying the score at 22 all. Christi Griffiths squashed Bucknell's hope with a kill for 23-22, and two errors from the Bison's side of the net ended the night with a 25-22 score.
In addition to McAhren's 10 kills to lead the team, Leylin Marroquin (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) finished with 12 digs. Sawanobori ended with four service aces, tying a season-high.
Tauscher's 22 assists against Fordham was a career-high for the sophomore, bettering her previous personal-best mark of 18 set against Columbia (6-2) in the first match of the day. She got right to work against the Lions as she and Kamp teamed up for kills to give Bucknell two of its first three points. The Bison eventually benefited from a 6-0 run that took them from 14-10 down to a 16-14 lead. McAhren had three kills during that stretch to propel Bucknell in front.
That advantage was short-lived, however. After coming out of a timeout, Columbia took five of the next six points. Although Titley tied the set at 20 all, the Bison never regained the lead and fell 25-23 in the end.
The Bucknell offense never quite got going in the second. Baumgarten registered a kill for 10-9, but Columbia put together yet another streak that soon put the Lions up by 10 at 21-11. The Lions closed out the set easily from that point, winning by a final of 25-14.
Bucknell again made it competitive in the third set, although it ultimately suffered the same fate, losing 25-21. The Bison finally had their turn with a mid-set run, scoring eight of 11 points mid-way through play. That stretch, which included three service aces from Lindsay Regruto (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School), gave the Bison a 17-16 lead.
With the match on the line, Columbia answered with a 9-4 run of its own. Jackson saved one match point with a kill and Kamp saved another with her second block solo of the match, but the Lions powered through with a four-point win in the end.
Regruto's four aces all came during the third set and gave the junior a career high. McAhren and Clark shared the team high in kills with seven apiece.
Bucknell closed out a difficult non-league schedule with a 2-10 record. Despite the record, head coach Cindy Opalski is optimistic about the experience her young team gained against some tough competition.
"We had to compete at a high level," said Opalski. "We gained a lot of experience, and we're looking forward to Patriot League play."
Bucknell's Patriot League schedule begins Friday, Sept. 24 when it hosts American. Match time at Davis Gym is set for 5 p.m.
