Bucknell University
2-2,0-0Patriot
Penn
1-0,0-0Ivy League
Bison Volleyball Falls to Penn in Weekend Opener
9/3/2021 9:36:00 PM | Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Bucknell volleyball team opened its second weekend of non-league competition Friday evening, falling 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-21) to the hosting Penn Quakers. The Bison moved to 2-2 with the loss, while Penn improved to 1-0 following its first match of the season.
After a slow start in the first set, Bucknell battled to keep sets two and three close before ultimately dropping both. The Bison were plagued by 22 attack errors to Penn's 11, while the Quakers posted a .297 hitting percentage.
Lisa Zoch recorded a team-high seven kills, and Allie Lopez was second with six kills on 11 attempts and no errors for a .545 hitting percentage. Lopez also supplied three block assists on the evening. Meanwhile, Penn was led by junior Autumn Leak's 16 kills and junior Elizabeth Ford's four block assists.
A 4-0 Penn run early in the first set put Bucknell behind 10-5, and the Bison were unable to string together more than two points at a time the rest of the set.
A 6-1 Penn run to open the second set left Bucknell trailing again, but this time the team used a 4-0 run to close the gap at 6-5. Things were back and forth the rest of the frame, and Bucknell pulled ahead at 18-16. Once tied at 20-all, the Quakers went on a 5-1 run to seal the second set and move to 2-0 in the match. Penn benefited from a .286 hitting percentage across from nine Bison attack errors in the second.
Penn put together another 4-0 run early in set three to lead 5-1, but Bucknell kept it close by tying the score at 11-11 and 16-16. Leading 22-20, the Quakers took advantage of a Bucknell attack error and two kills by senior Margaret Planek to seal the set and the match.
Bucknell will play two more matches on Saturday against Canisius and Coppin State. The Canisius match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., followed by the meeting with the Eagles at 4 p.m.
