Bucknell University
6-15,2-10Patriot
American
14-11,8-4Patriot
Volleyball Downed by American on the Road, 3-1
10/29/2021 9:30:00 PM | Volleyball
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bucknell volleyball team hit .231 overall and nearly reached the .400 mark in a second-set win against American Friday evening, but the Eagles held on to capture the 3-1 victory in Bender Arena. Two Bison reached double-digit kills, led by Lisa Zoch's 13, but it wasn't enough as American hit .397 for the match to earn its fifth win over the last six contests.
Bucknell (6-15, 2-10 PL) was also even with the Eagles in blocks (5) and had six players hit .230 or better. American (14-11, 8-4 PL) was guided by Zeynep Uzen's double-double of 21 kills and 12 digs.
The Bison suffered their first of three 25-15 set losses in the opening frame. American used a 5-0 run to gain early separation at 9-3, and Bucknell was unable to get any closer than four points of tying the rest of the set.
The second set was one of the strongest Bucknell has played all season, hitting .393 and racking up a trio of blocks. A Valentina Feigl service ace gave Bucknell its first lead of the match at 8-7. The Eagles came back to retake the lead at 15-6, but the Bison stayed on their heels and ended the set on a 3-0 run to win 25-22 and even the match at 1-1.
American came back with a vengeance in set three, opening with a 7-0 run and hitting .516 in the frame. The Eagles committed no attack errors in the third set and won by 10 at 25-15. Bucknell hit a solid .286 in the third, but five service errors plagued the team.
American was strong on the attack in the fourth set as well, hitting .455 with just one attack error and four service aces. The Eagles were hot out of the gates again, going up 4-0 to start. A 3-0 Bison run cut into the deficit to make it 8-6, but Bucknell was never able to grab a lead in the final set and lost 25-15.
Zoch was joined in double figures by sophomore Libby Nieporte, who totaled 13 kills with six errors for a .233 hitting percentage. Feigl hit .385 with five kills and matched Zoch in block assists (3). Meanwhile, reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week Jordan Hardy posted a team-high 20 digs.
Bucknell remains on the road on Saturday to face Navy in Annapolis, Md. at 3 p.m.
