Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Manhattan
Bucknell Volleyball Drops 3-0 Decision to Manhattan
9/3/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bison volleyball suffered its first loss of the season, falling straight sets to Manahattan at the Bucknell Tournament in Davis Gym on Saturday afternoon. Despite getting a match-best 10 kills from Jessica Serrato(Millbrae, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prep), Bucknell struggled to find its rhythm throughout the match and ended on the downside by a 25-19, 25-14, 25-22 score.
Both teams were slow to start and each committed two service errors within the first 11 points. They also struggled to find their swing. Manhattan (3-2) hit .179 (11-6-28) in the first set, while Bucknell (1-1) came in at .036 (7-6-28).
A service error by the Bison late in the frame gave the Jaspers a 20-16 lead and control of play. Kyleigh McAhren's (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) kill and an ace from Kat Tauscher (Washington, D.C./National Cathedral School) were able to slow down their opponents progress and give Bucknell a bit of late hope, however. The Bison climbed back to within three points at 24-19 thanks to a solo block off the outstretched arms of Anne Ellenberger(Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors). The home team was unable to save another set point, unfortunately, and Manhattan's Mariana Furquim closed out the set with a kill.
Ellenberger had one of the best defensive matches of her career, finishing the match with five solo blocks and four block assists. As a team, the Bison totaled 10.0 total blocks, compared to 6.0 for the Jaspers.
Manhattan continued to outhit Bucknell offensively in the second set, improving their attack percentage to .452 (17-3-31). The Bison could not keep pace with their .240 (10-4-25) attack. Nowhere was the Jaspers' offensive push as strong as late in the set as they finished the frame with 12 of the final 17 points. After pulling to within four on a Serrato kill, the Bison were unable to make any more headway and dropped the set by their largest margin of the day at 25-14.
Bucknell did its best to bounce back in the third and keep the match alive. Ellenberger was active early and helped the Bison run off five straight points to take a 9-8 advantage. The Bison senior recorded two blocks and a kill during that stretch, while Tauscher capped off the run with a service ace.
The scoring margin stayed within four points in either direction for the rest of the match, but miscues crept back in Bucknell's game. After The Bison tied the set at 19 apiece, three straight errors gave the Jaspers the lead back for good and time ran out before Bucknell could fully recover.
Sharing the match lead in kills with Serrato was Manhattan's Malia McGuinness, also with 10. It was the Jaspers' second win of the day, as they also defeated Fordham 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22) in the 10 a.m. match.
Through the Bison's first two matches of the Bucknell Tournament, Serrato has totaled 25 kills, more than any other teammate. With 25 assists against Manhattan, Tauscher has improved her weekend total to 79. The Bison will have an opportunity to improve those numbers even more in the tournament's finale against Dartmouth at 5 p.m.
