Bucknell University
5-11,1-6Patriot
Loyola
14-5,6-2Patriot
Volleyball Battles to 3-1 Loss vs. Loyola (Md.) at Home Saturday
10/9/2021 6:51:00 PM | Volleyball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell volleyball battled to four sets against Loyola (Md.) in a Saturday Patriot League home match at Davis Gym and ultimately fell 3-1 to the visiting Greyhounds. The Bison fell behind 2-0 in sets before claiming a 25-21 win in the third. They held a late 20-19 lead in set four as well, but the Greyhounds used a 4-0 run to take the lead and win the match.
The Bison held the edge in hitting percentage, recording a .233 for the match. Bucknell sophomore Libby Nieporte led the team with a season-high 16 kill with five errors for a .288 hitting percentage. She was joined in double figures by junior Lisa Zoch (16) and Valentina Feigl, who finished with 10 kills and a team-best .444 hitting percentage. Feigl also added one block assist and one block solo. Bucknell fell to 5-11 overall and 1-6 in Patriot League play with the loss.
Other notable performances for the Bison included 19 digs by libero Jordan Hardy and two block solos from rookie Jen Sivak.
Loyola (14-5, 6-2 PL) hit .214 for the match and was guided by Abby Hamilton's 22 kills. Senior Katie Forsythe led all players with 22 digs. They Greyhounds finished with eight service aces while Bucknell committed 12 service errors.
Loyola opened the match with a 4-1 lead in the first set, and the Bison were never able to recover despite stringing together a 4-0 run that brought them within two of tying at 15-13.
Bucknell fell behind early again in set two, but this time a 5-1 run put the Bison up 8-6. The Bison overcame a 5-0 Loyola swing again to lead 12-11, but the Greyhounds ended the second by collecting five of the final six points to go up 2-0 in the match.
The Bison were solid from the start of the third set, hitting .333 in the frame and recording two of the team's seven total blocks while Loyola surrendered five points on service errors. A pair of 5-0 runs to begin the set gave Bucknell a 12-3 advantage early on. The Greyhounds scored 10 of the next 12 to whittle the Bucknell lead down to two at 15-13 and eventually led at 21-20, however, the Bison ended the set with their third 5-0 run of the frame to win it 25-21.
Bucknell's .406 hitting percentage in the fourth was the best by either team during the match, and they added two more blocks as well. The two teams traded points throughout the set, which saw five lead changes and 16 tied scores. Sitting even at 20-20, Loyola captured five of the final seven points to end the set and the match.
Bucknell hosts Colgate at Davis Gym at 3 p.m. Sunday to close out the weekend. The Colgate match rounds out the first half of the Patriot League schedule as the Bison turn around and head to Hamilton, N.Y. next weekend. This Sunday's match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
