Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Volleyball Earns Second Patriot League Sweep, Downs Holy Cross 3-0
10/15/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Led by 15 kills from Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) and 14 more from Jessica Serrato (Millbrae, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep), Bucknell volleyball powered its way past Holy Cross 3-0 at Davis Gym on Saturday evening. The Bison hit .260 in the match, giving them their best attack percentage of the season. At the conclusion of the first round of Patriot League play, Bucknell is now 5-11 overall and 2-5 in the conference.
Bucknell was unaffected by its negative attack percentage in last night's match against Army. With the new day came 42 team kills, its most since the Orange and Blue recorded 44 against Lafayette in their last Patriot League sweep.
Saturday was played at a hurried pace from the get-go. The points were quick and breaks between them were kept short. The sprint resulted in close play and although Bucknell led the whole way in the first set, it never extended its lead beyond four points. Sensing that their opportunity might be getting away from them, the Crusaders (6-17, 2-5) called a pair timeouts late in the frame, but they never pulled any closer than two. Serrato and Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) gave the Bison set point with a block, and Serrato claimed the opener for Bucknell two points later with her fifth kill. In what seemed like no time, the Orange and Blue had a 25-22 lead.
The fast pace remained in the second set, but unlike in the first, Holy Cross got out to an early lead. The Crusaders took a 5-0 lead on Heather Roberts' serve steadily climbed back in the mix. Rose Lewis (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) regained the lead for Bucknell on her own serve thanks in part to back-to-back aces. The effort put the Bison in front 11-9.
Momentum again swung towards Holy Cross soon after, but that did not last. Bucknell came through when it mattered most at the end, earning the final four points of the set. First it was Mientus with a kill, then Serrato and Edoho recorded another block. Serrato capped things off with back-to-back kills, and Bucknell had the second set 25-22.
Play finally began to slow down in the third set, but by that point Bucknell was sailing confidently through the last of the match. Three consecutive kills from Mientus, all on assists from Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) gave Bucknell an 8-4 lead. Holy Cross eventually tied the set twice, once at 9-9 and again at 13-13, but it never took the advantage.
An 8-2 run put the Bison in the driver's seat. Serrato's final kill of the night gave Bucknell match point and Tauscher served it out with an ace to give their team the 25-19 victory in the end.
Serrato hit .417 (14-4-24) for the best attack percentage of her career. Mientus was also one of the most efficient Bison, closing out at .387.
Bucknell's attack was not the only story, however. The Bison had the edge in blocks as well, 11-4. Edoho and Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) each had five, while Serrato and Hannah Young (McConnellsburg, Pa./Broadfording Christian Academy (Md.)) both chipped in three. Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) led the team in digs with 15.
Bucknell will get the opportunity at rematches with Navy and American when it takes the court next. The Bison-Midshipmen showdown is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 with Senior Night recognition preceding the action.
