Volleyball Travels to Lehigh, Plays Last Home Match Against Lafayette

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell volleyball team continues Patriot League play with two matches this weekend, traveling to Lehigh for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday before welcoming Lafayette to Davis Gym for a 5 p.m. match-up on Saturday afternoon. Both matches will be webcast live on the Patriot League Network, and live stats will also be available.

The Bison enter the weekend with a 9-14 overall record and a 2-11 mark in the Patriot League, with their last conference victory coming in a home match against Holy Cross. The squad exhibited moments of brilliance on the road last weekend, but ultimately fell to both American and Navy in three sets.

Six different Bison have notched more than 100 kills this season, with freshman Jordan Walker leading the way with 163 to her credit. Seniors Kristen Titley and Morgan Mientus also serve as consistent offensive threats, contributing 157 kills and 155 kills, respectively. Sophomore Karen Campbell continues to be Bucknell's most steady attacker, hitting .321 with 148 kills on 318 attempts. Freshman Keane Brazda has added a team-high 270 assists, while Katie Price's 348 digs make her the cornerstone of the squad's defense. Freshman Erika Eastley, who has led the league in block since the beginning of the season, is averaging 1.27 per set with 24 solo stops and 84 assisted.

Bucknell and Lehigh will meet for the 67^th time on Friday, and the Mountain Hawks hold a 40-26 series advantage over the Bison. Lehigh earned a 3-0 win over Bucknell when the two teams played in Davis Gym earlier this season, and the Bison will look to split the season series with a win.

Lehigh, who fell to Navy and defeated Loyola last weekend, has played to an 18-7 overall record and a 9-4 mark in Patriot League action this season. Jade Van Streepen leads the way for the Mountain Hawks with 256 kills, while Kaylynn Genemaras has tallied 217 kills of her own. Amy Matula runs the squad's offense and has contributed 856 assists, while Rachel Charles has collected 360 digs. Ana Vrhel is the team's biggest threat at the net, tallying 63 total blocks.

Saturday marks the 59^th time that the Bison and the Leopards have met, with Bucknell holding a 35-23 series advantage. Bucknell put up a strong fight when the two teams met back in October, but Lafayette held on for the 3-1 win. The team has gathered a 10-14 record and holds a 2-11 mark in the Patriot League.

Karissa Ciliento is one of Lafayette's biggest offensive threats, tallying 225 kills this season. Katy Rooney is the squad's most dependable attacker, registering 114 kills in 315 attempts for a .213 hitting percentage. Samantha Volk has added 538 assists to the Leopard offense, with Lauren Pisauro's 364 digs and Rooney's 64 blocks aiding the defense.

After playing on the road on Friday night, Bucknell will return to Davis Gym to celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, honoring the careers and contributions of the class of 2014. The Bison will conclude their regular season at Loyola next weekend, taking on the Greyhounds in a 4 p.m. match-up on Saturday, Nov. 16.