Volleyball on the Road Saturday for Colgate Rematch

Saturday, October 16

Hamilton, N.Y.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

Colgate

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Volleyball on the Road Saturday for Colgate Rematch

10/13/2021 12:15:00 PM | Volleyball

Setting the Scene
Who: Bucknell (5-12, 1-7 PL) vs. Colgate (10-7, 7-1 PL)
When: Saturday, Oct. 16 at 5 p.m.
Where: Hamilton, N.Y.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoColgateRaiders.com

About the Bison

Bucknell is back on the road this weekend for a single match at Colgate on Saturday. It's Bucknell's second consecutive match against the Raiders after hosting them in Lewisburg on Sunday. Colgate remains the top team in the Patriot League standings after picking up two wins last weekend. Saturday marks the second half of the Patriot League schedule as the Bison wrap around to play all eight teams for a second time.
Along with first-place Colgate, Bucknell hosted second-place Loyola at Davis Gym last weekend. The Bison won the third set in the match against the Greyhounds, but ultimately fell to both opponents over the weekend. As a team, the Bison posted a season-high four block solos in the match against the Greyhounds.
Libby Nieporte led Bucknell with 25 combined kills over the two matches last weekend. Her 16 kills in the Loyola contest were a career high, and the sophomore has now been in double figures five times this season. Nieporte is second on the roster in total attempts this season and leads the team with 18 service aces, ranking seventh in the league.
Sophomore Valentina Feigl posted six blocks vs. Colgate on Sunday and now ranks eighth in the Patriot League with 0.87 per set. She's one of three Bison to record six in a match this fall.
Fellow sophomore Catherine Jamison is seventh in the Patriot League in hitting percentage (.253) and eighth in kills (3.06/S). Jamison had a quiet weekend against the Greyhounds and the Raiders, but she's led the Bison in kills seven times and has nine double-digit kill performances this season.
Two other Bison rank in the top six in Patriot League statistical categories. Sophomore setter Sarah Ramirez is fifth in assists (8.93/S), and first-year libero Jordan Hardy is sixth in digs (3.85/S).
The Bison are eighth in league standings, sitting just above Holy Cross and a match behind Lehigh in seventh. Bucknell has eight matches remaining in the regular season.
Bucknell entered league play 4-5 following three non-conference tournaments. Bucknell went 2-1 in the season-opening Delaware State tournament, 1-2 at the Penn tournament, and 1-2 at the Cornell Invitational. Bucknell has played two five-setters and has one 3-0 sweep this season.
Bucknell played a truncated season in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and went 1-3 against Patriot League opponents.
Head coach Tyler Hagstrom is in his second season with the Bison. He previously served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Princeton from 2016 to 2019.
The Bison returned 13 letterwinners and welcomed four newcomers to the roster, bringing the team total to 17. An outside hitter, a middle blocker and a pair of liberos make up the rookie class, which has seen plenty of playing time through the first three weekends of the season. Hagstrom also added two new assistants, Erin Kretzschmar and Jeremy Young, to the coaching staff.

Scouting Colgate/Series History

Colgate moved into first place in the Patriot League standings last weekend with wins over Loyola and Bucknell. The Raiders are now 10-7 (7-1 PL) and have won five in a row, including three sweeps. Colgate's only loss in league play was to Navy on Sept. 24.
The Raiders jumped up to second in hitting percentage (.200) and second in blocks (2.14/S) within the Patriot League after the wins last weekend. As a team, the Raiders hit above .300 on Sunday for a second time this season and totaled 17 combined blocks in their two victories.
Colgate senior Julia Kurowski was named the Patriot League Player of the Week this week after racking up 58 assists, 17 digs and six blocks over the weekend. She also added eight kills for a .333 hitting percentage. Kurowski posted 30 assists in the win over the Bison.
Bucknell and Colgate are meeting for a second consecutive match, and the Raiders hold a 45-23 edge in the all-time series. Colgate posted a .315 hitting percentage and registered seven blocks in Sunday's 3-0 sweep over Bucknell. Three Raiders players were above a .500 hitting percentage, and three supplied eight kills each.
For the Bison, Lisa Zoch and Libby Nieporte matched one another with nine kills apiece in Sunday's match. Valentina Feigl added six blocks.
Colgate head coach Ryan Baker is in his 16^th season with the team. He owns a 249-189 record, including a 150-60 Patriot League mark. Baker is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year and led the team to the 2012 league title.

Up Next
Bucknell returns to Davis Gym to host Holy Cross on Friday, Oct. 22 and Army on Saturday, Oct. 23. The Bison defeated the Crusaders 3-1 on the road back on Sept. 18. Both matches are scheduled to be shown on ESPN+.