Volleyball Set for Trip to Philadelphia for Penn Invitational

Setting the Scene
What: Valley Forge Sports Penn Invitational
Where: The Palestra, Philadelpha, Pa.

Bucknell Schedule
Friday, Sept. 9
3 p.m. – Bucknell at Penn | Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
Saturday, Sept. 10
10 a.m. – Bucknell vs. George Mason | Live Stats
5 p.m. – Bucknell vs. Howard | Live Stats

About the Bison
* Bucknell is 2-4 after going 1-2 at the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational. The Bison posted a 3-1 win over Coppin State, but fell 3-0 to the Dukes and 3-2 to the Colonials.
* The Bison pushed the Colonials, the defending champions in the Northeast Conference, to the edge but couldn't quite finish. They led 2-1 overall before falling 15-13 in the fifth and deciding set.
* Bucknell has two five-set losses this season – the first was against Canisius at the Bucknell Tournament – and both losses came by two points in the final set.
* The Bison rank first in the Patriot League in digs/set (17.17), led by freshman Brooke Stark, who ranks third at 4.35/set.
* Freshman Selby Schnobrich continues to put up big numbers since taking over the starting spot at setter in the second match of the season. She has tallied 50 or more assists in three of her five starts and ranks first in the Patriot League at 10.78/set. That is a large margin ahead of the next closest player with 9.06/set.
* The Bison have been a versatile team this season, as evident by the fact they rank second in kills/set (12.79) and in blocks/set (2.33). Senior Erika Eastley and freshman Mimi Richards rank first in second in blocks.
* Richards was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week after the opening weekend of the season.
* Bucknell has already played one returning national qualifier in Robert Morris, and will add a second to that list when it plays Howard on Saturday.

Scouting Penn
* Penn is 0-4 after opening the season with losses to Toledo, Houston Baptist, North Florida and Northern Colorado at Houston Baptist's Barcelona Labor Day Classic.
* The Quakers were 13-13 last season, but returned the youngest team in the Ivy League this year.
* Penn ranks second in the Ivy League in aces (1.79/set).

Scouting George Mason
* George Mason is 0-6 after losing to Sacred Heart, Dartmouth, and Milwaukee at Sacred Heart's Hampton Inn Invitational. All three losses came by 3-0 scores.
*Catie Espinoza was named to the All-Tournament Team at the season-opening D.C. Classic.
* The Patriots were 10-19 overall last year. They were picked to finish eighth out of 10 teams in the Atlantic 10 this season.

Scouting Howard
* Howard is 4-3 after losing to Purdue, Notre Dame and Coastal Carolina at Notre Dame's Golden Dome Invitational.
* The Bison were 18-14 last season and won the MEAC Tournament. They went on to lose to No. 7 Penn State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
* Junior Khaila Donaldson was named the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the Preseason All-MEAC Team by Morgan Marlbrough.
* Howard was picked to repeat as champions in the conference.

Series History with Penn
* Penn leads the all-time series 3-1. The teams first played in 1998.
* The Quakers have won three straight, but the last match was in 2008.

Series History with George Mason
* George Mason leads the all-time series 3-0. The teams first played in 1987.
* The Bison and Patriots will meet for the first time since playing twice in 1988.

Series History with Howard
* Bucknell leads the all-time series 4-3. The teams first played in 1986.
* The Bison have won three straight, including a 3-2 victory in 2013.
* Erika Eastley has nine blocks, five kills and one ace in that win. Jordan Walker tallied 13 kills.

Milestone/Record Watch
* Erika Eastley ranks fifth all-time at Bucknell with 245 block assists. She needs 32 more to tie Heidi Kamp (2007-11) for fourth.
* Eastley ranks sixth all-time with 309 total blocks. She needs 14 to tie Kamp for fifth.

Up Next
* The Bison will host Cornell, Oakland, and Buffalo for the Bucknell Invite on Sept. 16-17.