Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bison Volleyball Rallies Back for 3-2 Win over Lehigh
10/19/2012 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 19, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - A well-rounded effort pulled Bucknell volleyball through some tough situations as the Bison came from behind in the fifth set to defeat Lehigh 3-2 at Davis Gym on Friday night. It was the first Patriot League win of the season for Bucknell (7-16, 1-7 PL), which will now try for a second consecutive victory when it hosts Lafayette tomorrow at 5 p.m.
Bucknell took a two-set lead before a steady Lehigh (7-11, 4-4 PL) evened the match with wins in the third and fourth frames. The Mountain Hawks looked as if they would close things out quickly in the fifth after taking a 4-0 lead. The Bison regrouped in a timeout and soon made it 4-3, but they didn't take their first lead of the set until the scoreboard read 10-9. Fittingly Bucknell eventually claimed the overall victory with a block from Claire Healy (Tiburon, Calif./Saint Ignatius College Prep) and Karen Campbell (Chesapeake, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate) and ending the night by a score of 25-18, 25-22, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12.
Healy made her presence known around the court, leading Bucknell with 15 kills and also contributing 14 digs. The freshman also four blocks, while classmate Campbell led all players with eight. The Bison finished with 15.0 total team blocks compared to 12.0 for Lehigh.
Campbell and Healy's block to end the match was the second time in the fifth set they had teamed up to turn away an attack. The Bison defense ultimately held Lehigh in check as the Mountain Hawks registered an attack percentage of .083 in the fifth. Bucknell came in at .278 in the set, its second-highest of the night.
The Bison's most efficient offensive frame came right out of the games when they hit .324 in the first set. They never took more than a one or two point lead through the first half of play, but a loud Davis Gym crowd energized Bucknell enough to power through to an early lead. Kebah Edoho (Odenton, Md./Arundel) registered a kill to make it 20-15. Blocks from Edoho, Campbell and Sarah Morris (Marietta, Ga./Pope), a kill from Healy and a service ace from Meghan Wentzel (San Anselmo, Calif./The Branson School) put the finishing touches on the first for Bucknell's seven-point win.
Lehigh started to play things a bit closer in the second set, at one point taking advantage of a Bucknell service error and taking a 15-10 lead. Just as they would later in the match, the Bison regrouped and took nine of the next 12 points for a 19-18 advantage. Lehigh tied the set on the very next point but it never regained its lead as Bucknell won 25-22 despite seeing its hitting percentage drop to .171.
Bucknell's attack percentage continued to drop in the next two sets, opening the door for the Mountain Hawks. The lead went back and forth in the third set, and Lehigh took solid control of momentum in the fourth as it never gave the scoring advantage to Bucknell. Lehigh's most convincing decision, 25-20 in the fourth, came with a .220 attack percentage, compared to .049 for Bucknell.
Despite the turnaround, the Bison kept their heads and were able to rally in the fifth set for the first time this season. Bucknell is now 1-2 in five-set matches in 2012. Tonight's win also snaps a nine-match overall losing streak and a four-match skid to the Mountain Hawks.
Joining Healy with some noteworthy stats was Edoho and Morgan Mientus (Chicago, Ill./Saint Ignatius College Prep). Edoho finished with eight kills and seven blocks, while Mientus also had eight kills to go along with 11 digs and four blocks. Katie Price (Los Angeles, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) tallied a career-best 22 digs. Wentzel had 21 assists and four service aces.
