Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Texas Tech
Volleyball Caps Productive Weekend with Comeback Win over Sacred Heart
8/30/2014 10:04:00 PM | Volleyball
FULLERTON, Calif. -- A double-double from All-Tournament setter Meghan Wentzel and 11 kills apiece from Erika Eastley and Jordan Walker helped the Bucknell volleyball team rally from two sets down to defeat Sacred Heart in the final match of the Cal State Fullerton Titan Classic on Saturday evening. The thrilling finish capped off a productive opening weekend against strong competition for the Bison, who also dropped a five-setter to Texas Tech earlier in the day after taking the opening set from the host Titans in a 3-1 loss on Friday night.
"I am very proud of how we played this weekend," said head coach Anna Allison after the Sacred Heart win. "We played 14 sets in 24 hours and we fought for every point. It is always great to come to the West Coast at the beginning of the season and play great competition. It was also great to see so much orange and blue in the crowd. The support from our alumni, parents and friends made this weekend even better."
After suffering a grueling five-set loss to Texas Tech, Bucknell then found itself in an 0-2 hole in the nightcap against Sacred Heart. But the tide turned in set No. 3 as Katie Price served out a 6-0 run that turned a 6-6 tie into a 12-6 Bison lead. Sacred Heart closed within 18-15 before a shared block from Karen Campbell and Kristen Gelenitis ignited another 6-0 run. Another block from Campbell and Wentzel capped off a 25-16 win.
The Bison stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the fourth set and led by as many as seven at 16-9, but the Pioneers rallied to tie it at 17, 18, 19 and 20. But Bucknell never did fall behind, and a Walker kill capped a key 3-0 run that made it 23-20. A Wentzel kill and a block by Eastley and Gelenitis closed out the set and evened the match.
The fifth and deciding set came right down to the wire. The Bison flipped a 12-11 deficit into a 13-12 lead with back-to-back kills from Walker and Eastley. An Eastley/Gelenitis block brought it to match point, and a Sacred Heart attack error closed it out.
Campbell had nine kills and Hailey Stout eight for Bucknell. Wentzel posted 34 assists and 12 digs, while Price led the team with 19 digs. The story of the match was Bucknell's blocking. As a team, the Bison recorded 22 blocks, led by 11 total blocks from Campbell, nine from Eastley, eight from Gelenitis, five from Stout and four from Walker.
Sarah Krufka led Sacred Heart with 17 kills, while Makayla Dole had 14 kills and 20 digs.
Campbell tallied 15 kills, and Stout and Walker had 14 each in the Texas Tech match. Price and Kristen Parks logged 21 digs apiece, and Wentzel handed out 45 assists in the marathon match.
After dropping the opening set 25-19, the Bison captured a wild 34-32 verdict in the second stanza. There were 11 lead changes and 19 ties in the set. and again it was a key block setting up the win. Trailing 32-31, Bucknell's Wentzel and Campbell rejected Breeann David to even the frame. A hitting error by David gave the Bison the lead back, and Walker finally closed it out with a kill.
The Red Raiders went back in front with a 25-12 third-set win, but the Bison stayed alive with a 26-24 result in set No. 4. Bucknell had a 23-20 lead only to see Texas Tech score four straight points to grab a match-point. But a Stout kill stemmed the tide, and then the Bison pulled it out with a kill from Walker and a service ace from Stout.
All of the energy the Bison consumed to fight back might have caught up with them in the fifth set, as Texas Tech raced out to a 7-0 lead en route to a 15-8 decision.
"Texas Tech is a great team, and we fought hard," said Allison. "Every match gives us an opportunity to get better. Although it was not a W, I'm very pleased with the way we played the match."
The Bison will be back in action next weekend, facing Columbia, Fairfield and Stony Brook at the Columbia Invitational in New York City.
