Bucknell University
4-4,0-0Patriot
UNLV
7-2,0-0Mountain West
Bison Volleyball Falls to UNLV and Cornell on Final Day of Non-League Play
9/11/2021 6:57:00 PM | Volleyball
ITHACA, N.Y. – Bucknell volleyball wrapped up the Cornell Invitational and its non-conference portion of the schedule on Saturday, falling to both UNLV and tournament host Cornell. The Bison fought a close battle in the early sets of both matches but suffered 3-0 losses in each.
The Bison finish the weekend 1-2 after picking up a 3-2 win over Niagara on Friday evening, moving to 4-5 on the season. UNLV improved to 3-0 on the weekend with three sweeps and collected its fifth win in a row with the victory over the Bison. Cornell posted a 1-2 record in the tournament and is now 3-3 this fall.
Bucknell looks ahead to its Patriot League opener next weekend. The Bison road swing continues as they visit Army on Friday, Sept. 17, and then travel to Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 18. Bucknell plays its home opener in Davis Gym on Friday, Sept. 24 when Lafayette pays a visit to Lewisburg.
Cornell 3, Bucknell 0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-14)
Rookie Jen Sivak posted an outstanding .538 hitting percentage with a team-high eight kills on 13 attacks and just one error, but it wasn't enough as Bucknell suffered its second sweep of the day.
Bucknell opened the first set with a 9-4 lead, but a 10-0 Cornell run changed the momentum and the Bison wound up trailing 21-14. Bucknell whittled the deficit down to 24-20 before eventually dropping the set and falling behind 1-0 in the match.
The Bison found themselves trailing again in set two, but a 7-1 run allowed them to pull within one of tying at 23-22. A Cornell timeout paid off for the Big Red as they collected two of the final three points to win 25-23. Looking to avoid the sweep, Bucknell opened the third with a 4-1 advantage until Cornell began pulling away. The Big Red ended the third on an 8-2 run, sealing the match and ending the weekend.
Jordan Hardy and Sarina Singer both ended up with double-digit digs, and Libby Nieporte finished with a trio of service aces. Sivak and Valentina Feigl each posted a pair of blocks.
UNLV 3, Bucknell 0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-7)
The Rebels posted a .320 hitting percentage against the Bison and earned their third sweep of the weekend in Bucknell's first match. Bucknell held leads in each of the first two sets, but Rebel runs stood in the way.
Bucknell had its best chance at a set win in the first, tying the match at 8-8 and building an 11-9 lead. UNLV recaptured the lead at 15-14 and eventually ended the set on a 7-0 run. The first frame saw a combined eight service errors, including four in a row at one point as the two teams traded back and forth.
The Bison jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the second before a 5-0 UNLV run created a small separation. The Bison put together a 5-1 stretch that kept the set close at 13-10, but no less than a 3-point cushion remained through most of the second.
UNLV scored each of the first nine points in set three before the Bison made their way onto the board. Bucknell only managed to string together back-to-back points twice in the final frame.
Catherine Jamison led the team in kills once again, positing nine with a .320 hitting percentage. Jamison has been above .300 in four matches this season. Allie Lopez posted a pair of blocks, and Hardy registered 15 digs.
