Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Volleyball Hosts Navy on Friday for Senior Night, Welcomes American on Saturday
10/20/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 20, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. – There are plenty of activities to enjoy with Bucknell hosting Homecoming Weekend, and Bison volleyball will get in on the mix when it hosts Navy and American on Friday and Saturday at Davis Gym. Before Friday's 7 p.m. match with the Midshipmen, Bucknell will recognize five veterans as part of Senior Night. The Bison will then face American at 5 p.m. on Saturday as they get into the thick of the second round of Patriot League play. Live stats on GameTracker will be available for both contests.
ABOUT THE BISON
- When Bucknell (5-11, 2-5) was last on the court, it split a pair of sweeps by falling 3-0 to Army and winning 3-0 to Holy Cross last weekend. Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) led the Bison with 15 kills against the Crusaders, setting her Patriot League high this season. As a team, Bucknell out-hit Holy Cross .260 to .075 and out-blocked their opponent 11-4.
- Both of Bucknell's Patriot League victories this fall have come by a 3-0 score. Before sweeping Holy Cross, the Bison defeated Lafayette in straight sets on Sept. 30.
- The first round of Patriot League play has come to a close. After the first seven matches, Bucknell is fifth in the standings. The top four squads remain closely packed with American and Army at 6-1 in league play and Colgate and Lehigh at 5-2.
- Bucknell ranks second among Patriot League opponents in team blocks. The Bison are averaging 1.96 per set, a mark that is helped greatly by Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors). Ellenberger is first in the league in blocks at 1.29 per set. Mientus and Jessica Serrato (Millbrae, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep) are both among the top 10 in kills, Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) is sixth in assists (8.21/set) and Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) is 10th in digs (3.39/set).
- The Bison have been neck-and-neck with their Patriot League foes when it comes to blocks. Bucknell and its opponents both have 47.0 through seven matches. The difference is in solo blocks, however, as Bucknell leads 20-12 in that category. Of the team's 20 solo blocks, 13 have come from Ellenberger.
- Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) hasn't put up the flashiest numbers in conference play, but she has been one of Bucknell's more consistent performers. The junior has recorded six kills on four occasions and has had at least one block in all seven league matches.
- The Bison will recognize five seniors prior to Friday's match with Navy. Katie Baumgarten (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena), Ellenberger, Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena), Lindsay Regruto (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School) and Sawanobori will each be honored for their four years with Bucknell volleyball.
- When Bucknell and Navy met earlier this year, things did not go as planned for the Bison. Bucknell took a 2-0 lead before the Mids rallied for the five-set victory, 18-25, 19-25, 25-19, 26-24, 15-13. It was just the fourth time in program Bucknell had lost a Patriot League match after winning the first two sets.
- Serrato led all players with a career-best 21 kills against Navy last month. Ellenberger also chipped in a career record with nine total blocks. The loss evened the all-time series between the Bison and Mids at 20-20.
- Bucknell took its third straight 3-0 loss to American – 25-22, 25-11, 25-16 – when the teams squared off in Washington, D.C., last month. Mientus finished with 10 kills, but the Eagles held the Bison to a .171 attack percentage while racking up a .412 average of their own.
- American has a commanding lead in the all-time series with Bucknell, 30-1.
ABOUT THE MIDSHIPMEN
- Navy comes to Lewisburg with an overall record of 6-16 and a Patriot League mark of 1-6. Its only conference win came in five sets against Bucknell in Annapolis, Md. Since winning the final three frames of that match, the Mids have lost their last five matches in straight sets.
- Carolyn Ewert maintains the team lead in kills with 209 (2.94/set) on the year. Shelby Mass, who put up 58 assists against the Bison earlier this season, has 272 total assists (7.56/set) this fall, and Erin Fortner has 424 (7.31/set).
ABOUT THE EAGLES
- American enters the weekend at 14-10 overall and 6-1 in the Patriot League. The lone league loss came just last Saturday when the Eagles fell in straight sets at Lehigh. It was their only loss in the last 10 matches.
- The Eagles have three players with better than 200 kills this season. Leading the group is Sara Rishell at 270 (3.18/set). Juliana Crum is second in kills at 238 (3.13/set) and digs with 201 (2.64/set). Alexandra Hammer and Monika Smidova have been splitting the setting duties and are both averaging better than five assists per set.
- Since Bucknell and American last met, Rishell and Rebecca Heath have both earned Patriot League Player of the Week honors. Kelly McCaddin was also named a Rookie of the Week.
LOOKING AHEAD
Bucknell has one more home date after this weekend. The Bison will host Colgate at 4 p.m. on Oct. 29 in their Davis Gym season finale. That doesn't mean the entire season is over just yet, however. Bucknell has four more regular-season road matches after that at Lehigh, Lafayette, Holy Cross and Army in November.
