Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Central Connecticut
Bucknell Volleyball Drops Heartbreaker 3-2 at Central Connecticut State
9/10/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2011
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Eight Bison recorded career bests, including Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) who finished with a double-double of 18 kills and 11 digs, but Bucknell volleyball could not hang on to an early lead and fell 3-2 to Central Connecticut State at the Blue Devil Invitational at Detrick Gym on Saturday afternoon. The Bison (1-4) continue play with a second match of the day against St. Peter's at 5:30 p.m.
Mientus' first career double-double was thanks in part to a personal-best 57 assists from Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School). She was not the only Bison to benefit from Tauscher's distribution either, as Jessica Serrato (Millbrae, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep) shared the match high with her own personal record of 19 kills. Unfortunately, the big totals were not enough to help Bucknell convert on three match points in the fifth set.
Serrato, Mientus and Tauscher were models of consistency throughout the match, putting up nearly identical numbers with each passing set. Serrato and Mientus each contributed three kills in the opening frame as Bucknell took a 25-23 decision to start things off. The Bison recorded an attack percentage of .400 in the first with 13 kills and only one error on 30 attempts.
Those team numbers dipped a bit in the second, and Bucknell paid the price as Central Connecticut State (4-4) evened the count at a set apiece with a 25-21 victory. Unlike the first set where they had maintained a lead through much of play, the Bison spent much of their time playing catch-up in the second. A kill from Hannah Young (McConnellsburg, Pa./Broadfording Academy (Md.)) and an attack error from the Blue Devils gave Bucknell a look by tying the set at 20-20 before Sara DeLacey answered with back-to-back kills to reclaim the lead. Serrato eventually saved a set point with a kill. Bucknell couldn't undo the damage, however, and found itself looking to take back its earlier momentum for the third set.
Momentum did go in Bucknell's favor in the beginning of the third, but it did not last. The Bison took a 23-19 lead after a Mientus kill before Central Connecticut State ran off five straight points to pull in front. Bucknell got a brief reprieve on set point thanks to a setting error from the Blue Devils. Bison errors proved to be the story in the end, however, as the home team closed it out with a 26-24 win after back-to-back errors from Bucknell.
Determined to keep the match alive, Bucknell bounced back from its two sets to one deficit by winning the fourth frame 25-19. The Bison got their attack percentage back above .300 while the Blue Devils' dropped to .081.
Central Connecticut State kept it close through the first half of the fourth set. One point at 8-7 was the closest they could get, however, before the Bison began to pull away. Bucknell took 13 of the next 20 points and forced the Blue Devils into a timeout. The Bison stayed strong to the end despite the break and forced a fifth set for the second time in five matches.
The fifth set could hardly have been closer with 15 ties and five lead changes. The Bison could hardly have suffered a bigger heartbreak either having earned three match points but failing to convert. The first came on a kill from Mientus for 15 all and a bad set from the Blue Devils. Jennifer Waddill made the first save to prolong the match with a kill, but Mientus put the Bison back in front 17-16 with her final kill of the day.
The 18-17 score in favor of the Bison came courtesy of a service error from Central Connecticut State, but Bucknell again failed to clear the final hurdle. Late miscues continued to be a factor as the Blue Devils walked away with the ultimate victory at 21-19.
Bucknell's offensive attack was not the only part of its game to put up big numbers. Leylin Marroquin (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) finished with a match-best 25 digs to earn a career best. Morgan Markarian (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) tallied 19 digs, smashing her previous best of three. Along with Mientus, Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) became the fourth Bison in double figures with 10 digs. Serrato, Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) and Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) each chipped in four blocks.
Leading the way for the Blue Devils was Blaike King with 19 kills. Emily Cochran and DeLacey each added 15 kills, and Danielle Gasser totaled 59 assists.
Bucknell has one more match in Connecticut. The Bison are a perfect 7-0 all-time against St. Peter's, their final opponent of the weekend.
