Volleyball Sweeps Hampton for Eighth Straight Win

Friday, September 20

Lewisburg, Pa.

6:30 p.m.

Bucknell University

9-1

Hampton

4-5

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Hampton	16	21	17	0
Bucknell	26	26	25	3

Volleyball Sweeps Hampton for Eighth Straight Win

9/20/2019 8:53:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Anna Carroll logged a team-high 10 kills, Brooke Stark paced the back row with 15 digs, and the Bucknell volleyball team defeated Hampton in three sets (25-17, 25-22, 25-17) on Friday on the opening night of the Bison Invitational. It was the eighth straight victory for the Bison, which is one shy of the school record. They will have a chance to tie and break the record on Saturday, when tournament play continues against Fairleigh Dickinson and Delaware State.

Now 9-1 on the season, Bucknell has not lost since its second match of the season, a 3-1 road setback at Youngstown State on Aug. 30. The Bison have only dropped a total of four sets since then, and they are looking for their third straight tournament title.

Bucknell also had an eight-match winning streak during its 1998 Patriot League championship season. The team record is nine straight, set in 1997.

The Bison took control of the first set against Hampton with a 5-0 run that pushed a 7-7 deadlock into a commanding 12-7 lead. Kills from Carroll and Zoch along with a Sophie Bullard service ace keyed the run. The Pirates did pull within two at 13-11, but the Bison picked up the next three points, capped by an ace from Carroll that ticked the net and dropped over. Zoch's kill finished off the set.

Hampton's best showing came in the second set, when it led most of the way. A kill from Gabby Calloway put the Pirates in front 20-17, but the Bison battled back late. Trailing 21-19, back-to-back putaways from Bullard and Carroll tied it up and forced a Hampton timeout. The Pirates committed back-to-back hitting errors out of the timeout, however, giving the Bison a 23-21 lead. Hampton picked up a side-out after a kill from Sasha Saric, but another error followed by a Zoch kill gave the Bison a 25-22 verdict and a commanding 2-0 lead.

The third set was never really in doubt, as the Bison sprinted to a 5-0 lead after a Mimi Richards kill and a Stark service ace. Bucknell would go on to lead by as many as nine at 21-12, and moments later the night ended with a kill from Richards.

The Bison hit a season-high .345 with 42 kills and only 12 errors in 87 attempts. Their previous high was .333 against Siena on Sept. 7. Carroll was the catalyst, hitting .389 with 10 kills in 18 chances with just three miscues.

Bullard also had a big night with nine kills and 12 digs, helping the Bison out-dig Hampton 39-29. She was also a perfect 22-for-22 on service receptions. Zoch added eight kills and a .353 hitting percentage, and fellow freshman Kelsey O'Loughlin, the Patriot League leader in assists per set, enjoyed another strong outing at setter with 32 assists along with five kills.

Calloway had 11 kills for the Pirates, who hit .185 on the night.

Bucknell is set to host Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., followed by Delaware State at 5:30 p.m. Delaware State defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 3-1 earlier on Friday to kick off the tournament.