Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
NJIT
Volleyball Closes out 2014 Season with Sweep of NJIT
11/15/2014 6:18:00 PM | Volleyball
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bucknell volleyball team honored its lone senior, Kadri Lutter, prior to its season finale against NJIT on Saturday, and then Lutter contributed to a three-set sweep of the Highlanders in Davis Gym. Karen Campbell and Erika Eastley led the attack with 10 kills each, and Kristen Parks led a superb defensive effort with 20 digs.
The Bison rarely trailed in this one, and they never faced a deficit of more than three points in a 25-18, 25-17, 25-21 verdict. Bucknell also swept Loyola on Friday night, and the young squad finished the season with a 7-18 record.
Bucknell limited NJIT (11-20) to a .047 hitting percentage in the match, including a -.022 mark in the opening set. That frame was deadlocked at 14-all until back-to-back attack errors by NJIT put the Bison in front to stay. Kills by Jordan Walker and Campbell then ignited a 7-1 set-ending run, with Eastley closing it out with a kill.
The Bison grabbed the advantage early in the second set, breaking open a 5-5 tie with a 9-4 run. NJIT closed within 19-16, but Bucknell countered with five straight to get to set point. Kills by Walker and Hailey Stout and a Meghan Wentzel service ace sparked that surge, and Kristen Gelenitis put away a Wentzel set to finish the frame.
The Highlanders took a 13-10 lead in the third set, but Bucknell responded with four straight points, the last two coming on consecutive service aces by Eastley. NJIT tied it at 14 with a side out, but the Bison scored eight of the next nine points to assume control of the match. Eastley's emphatic kill brought Bucknell to match point, and Walker ended it with her seventh kill of the day.
Wentzel finished with 32 assists, leading the Bison to a .227 hitting percentage.
Nina Vukotic led NJIT with 10 kills, while Camilla Tinari had 11 digs and Alyssa Armada 29 assists.
Lutter, whose action this season was limited by a knee injury, played in the back row in all three sets and recorded two digs and a service ace. Her sisters Anna and Maria flew in from their native Estonia to see Kadri play for the final time this weekend.
"Today was for Kadri," said head coach Anna Allison after the match. "She is so special to our program and we will greatly miss her. She is the only senior on a very young team. We had some tough growing pains this year, but at the same time, it's a young team that works really hard and wants to get better, and that's all that I can ask."
