Bucknell University Athletics
Volleyball Returns Home to Host Bucknell Invitational This Weekend
9/15/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell volleyball will host its second tournament of the fall and its first match on Bison Vision when it welcomes Coppin State, Bowling Green and Stony Brook to the Bucknell Invitational at Davis Gym this weekend. The Bison (2-4) open with Coppin State at 7:30 p.m. on Friday with the action being streamed live at BucknellBison.com. Play for the home team will resume at 12 p.m. on Saturday with Stony Brook, followed by Bowling Green at 5 p.m. Live stats on GameTracker will be available for all matches.
BUCKNELL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
(Times Subject to Change)
Friday, Sept. 16
Stony Brook vs. Bowling Green, 5 p.m. (Live Stats)
Bucknell vs. Coppin State, 7:30 p.m. (Live Stats) (Bison Vision)
Saturday, Sept. 17
Stony Brook vs. Coppin State, 10 a.m. (Live Stats)
Bucknell vs. Stony Brook, 12 p.m. (Live Stats)
Bowling Green vs. Coppin State, 3 p.m. (Live Stats)
Bucknell vs. Bowling Green, 5 p.m.(Live Stats)
ABOUT THE BISON
- Bucknell went 1-2 in last weekend's Blue Devil Invitational. The Bison opened with losses to Stony Brook and Central Connecticut State before pulling out the five-set victory against St. Peter's. Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) and Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) were both named to the All-Tournament Team. Tauscher totaled 117 assists (9.00/set) and four service aces, both team highs. Edoho was third on the squad in kills with 26 (2.00/set) and second in blocks with nine (0.69).
- With the win over the Peahens, Cindy Opalski collected her 299th victory as the head coach at Bucknell. Now in her 22nd season with the Bison, Opalski has a record of 299-314.
- The Bison have become quite familiar with five-set matches over the last few seasons. This fall, they are 2-1 in matches that go the distance, defeating Fordham and St. Peter's. Bucknell is 6-2 in five-setters in the last two years and 21-18 (.538) since 2001.
- Eight Bison set career highs at least once during the Blue Devil Invitational. Against Central Connecticut State, Tauscher earned highs of 57 assists, two aces and three kills. She also recorded three blocks against St. Peter's. Jessica Serrato (Millbrae, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep) and Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) were also among those with high marks. Mientus drew her first career double-double opposite Central Connecticut State with 18 kills and 11 digs. She improved her personal best in digs to 12 go to along with 11 kills later that day against St. Peter's. Serrato's first double-double also came at the Peahens' expense as she registered 15 kills and 13 digs.
- Morgan Markarian (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) made a major statement last Saturday. The freshmen entered the weekend without having recorded a stat in her one set played. By the tournament's final match against St. Peter's, Markarian had totaled 45 digs, four assists, two aces and one kill. She led the team with 23 digs against the Peahens and now ranks second among Bison for total digs on the season.
- Edoho and Anne Ellenberger (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) have combined for 41 blocks this fall, accounting for better than 55 percent of the team's total. Ellenberger leads the squad with 24 total blocks – six solo and 18 assisted – for a 1.00 average.
- Despite a 2-4 record, Bucknell has gone toe-to-toe with its opponents. The Bison are even with their opponents in assists (248-248) through six matches and just barely behind them in kills (274-276), attack percentage (.171-.188) and digs (320-321).
- Tauscher and Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) both hit 500 marks last weekend. Tauscher now sits at 530 career assists, while McAhren has 507 career kills.
ABOUT THE EAGLES
- After dropping a 3-0 decision to Saint Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday, Coppin State is now 3-9 on the season. Bucknell will be the Eagles' third Patriot League opponent. Earlier this fall, they lost in straight sets to American and 3-2 to Lafayette.
- Ariel Richard has a strong lead over her teammates in kills, having recorded 121 (2.95/set) this fall. Kristine Bindule serves as the team's primary setter, putting up 277 assists (7.10/set), while defensively, the Eagles look to Gabrielle Otero with 160 digs (3.90/set) and Salena Weekly with 45 blocks (1.10/set) this season.
- Bucknell has never lost to Coppin State in four previous tries. Victories in 1995, 1996 and 1998 came in straight sets. The last meeting ended in a 3-1 win for the Bison at the 2005 Bucknell Invitational.
ABOUT THE SEAWOLVES
- It is the second week in a row that Stony Brook and Bucknell will meet. The Seawolves went 2-1 at last weekend's Blue Devil Invitational, earning one of their wins against Bucknell in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-23). They also defeated St. Peter's 3-0 before losing to Central Connecticut State 3-1. Alicia Nelson and Laura Hathaway were all-tournament team selections. Stony Brook comes to Lewisburg with a 3-5 record on the season.
- When Bucknell and Stony Brook played last Saturday, Serrato led the Bison with nine kills. Tauscher had 22 assists, Leylin Marroquin (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) totaled 13 digs and Edoho finished with four total blocks. For the Seawolves, Kaitlin Costello, Greta Strenger and Nelson shared the kills lead with eight apiece, while Sullivan tallied 29 assists.
- At the Blue Devil Invitational, Nelson improved her season kills average to 4.11, while Hathaway also moved up to 4.23 digs per set. Kelsey Sullivan continues to hold the Seawolves' high total in assists with 292 (8.59/set).
- Bucknell is now 0-7 all-time against Stony Brook.
ABOUT THE FALCONS
- Bowling Green comes to Lewisburg with a perfect 9-0 record. Most recently, the Falcons swept the competition at the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational, defeating Michigan State (3-1), SIU-Edwardsville (3-1) and Canisius (3-0). They also have a 3-0 victory over Navy earlier this fall.
- The Falcons have a young squad and many of those underclassmen are the team's statistical leaders. Sophomores Danielle Tonyan and Paige Penrod both have better than 100 kills already, while classmate Laura Avila is tops in assists with 214 (6.48/set). A fourth sophomore, Ashley Dunn, leads the team in digs with 115 (3.48/set).
- Bowling Green finished the 2010 campaign with a record of 8-24 overall and 2-14 in the Mid-American Conference. Penrod, Tonyan, Avila and Dunn led the team in their respective specialties a year ago as well.
- Bucknell and Bowling Green have met just once in series history. The Falcons won 3-0 in 1987.
LOOKING AHEAD
Bucknell's tournament schedule will come to a close with the end of this weekend's invitational. Up next is Patriot League play, starting with American (Sept. 23) and Navy (Sept. 24) on the road.
