Friday, September 10
Ithaca, N.Y.
5 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Niagara
Volleyball to Visit Cornell for Weekend Tournament
9/8/2021 11:25:00 AM | Volleyball
Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (3-3, 0-0 Patriot League) vs. Niagara (2-4, 0-0 MAAC)
When: Friday, Sept. 10 at 5 p.m.
Where: Newman Arena – Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: CornellBigRed.com
Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (3-3, 0-0 Patriot League) vs. UNLV (3-2, 0-0 Mountain West)
When: Saturday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
Where: Newman Arena – Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: CornellBigRed.com
Setting the Scene, Part III
Who: Bucknell (3-3, 0-0 Patriot League) at Cornell (2-1, 0-0 Ivy League)
When: Saturday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m.
Where: Newman Arena – Ithaca, N.Y.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: CornellBigRed.com
About the Bison
- Bucknell visits Ithaca, N.Y. this weekend to participate in its final non-league tournament at the Cornell Invitational. The Bison will take on Niagara to open the weekend on Friday, and then face UNLV and Cornell on Saturday. Bucknell is 9-17 all-time against teams it will see this weekend.
- Bucknell is 3-3 through its first two weekends of the season, going 2-1 at the Delaware State Invitational and 1-2 at the Penn tournament. Bucknell defeated Canisius 3-1 in its most recent victory.
- Bucknell currently leads all Patriot League teams with a .208 hitting percentage on the season, and two Bison rank top-3 in the category. The team has hit .263 or better in its three wins.
- Sophomore Catherine Jamison currently ranks second in the Patriot League in hitting percentage (.315) and leads the team in kills per set (.307). Jamison has posted hitting percentages above .300 in three matches, including a .579 outing with 12 kills in the win over Saint Peter's. Fellow sophomore Allie Lopez is third in the league (.299) and leads the Bison with 13 blocks. She was an honorable mention for PL Player of the Week this week after landing on the All-Tournament Team at Penn.
- Sophomore setter Sarah Ramirez is second in the Patriot League with 9.95 assists per set, helped by a 57-assist output in the season opener.
- Along with the sophomores, Bucknell's rookie class has impressed through the first six matches of the season. Jordan Hardy leads the team in digs (3.68/S), and Jen Sivak had a breakout match against Canisius with six kills, five block assists, two aces and a .375 hitting percentage.
- From the upperclassmen, junior Lisa Zoch posted her third double-digit kill performance with 15 in the Canisius win and senior Jennie Burke had 10.
- Bucknell played a truncated season in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and went 1-3 against Patriot League opponents. The Bison collected a 3-2 victory over American in the second match, topping the Eagles for the first time since 1996.
- 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. He holds a 4-6 record with the Bison.
- 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 as seen plenty of playing time through the first two weekends of the season. Hagstrom also added two new assistants, Erin Kretzschmar and Jeremy Young, to the coaching staff.
Scouting Niagara/Series History
- Niagara is 2-4 this season, picking up wins over Texas Southern University and Southern University. The Purple Eagles were swept in three matches at the Windy City Classic at Chicago State this past weekend.
- Niagara outside hitter Jaycie Roberts is leading the team in kills per set (3.45), digs (73), and service aces (7). She was named the MAAC Player of the Week following the team's first weekend of competition.
- First-year libero Bella Peroni was the MAAC Rookie of the Week following the first weekend after posting two double-digit dig performances, including 27 in the win over Texas Southern.
- Niagara leads the MAAC in assists per set (12.3), kills per set (12.85), and ranks second in hitting percentage (.207).
- The Purple Eagles are led by head coach Donna Day, who owns a 29-43 record since taking over in 2018.
- Bucknell is 7-3 in all-time meetings with the Purple Eagles, dating back to 1993. The Bison won the most recent matchup in 2018, 3-0. Current Bucknell senior Jennie Burke had seven kills on 12 attacks and no errors for a .583 hitting percentage in the 2018 neutral-site win.
Scouting UNLV/Series History
- UNLV is 3-2 this fall, including a 3-1 win over 25th ranked Washington State on Saturday. Two of the Rebels' losses were to 15th ranked BYU and 8th ranked Purdue. The Rebels themselves were receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. UNLV will also face Colgate on Wednesday before making the trip to New York.
- UNLV's Milica Tasic is leading the team in kills with 53 on the season (3.31/S). Not far behind is senior Kate Brennan, who sports 2.06 kills per set and leads the Mountain West in hitting percentage (.455).
- First-year middle blocker Chloe Thomas was last week's Mountain West Freshman of the Week after totaling 12 kills, nine block assists and a team-best .435 hitting percentage in the opening weekend.
- UNLV is led by fourth-year head coach Dawn Sullivan, who has led the Rebels to a 58-26 record. Sullivan guided the Rebels to a 13-1 record last season as well as a first-round win over Illinois State in the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament.
- Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Bucknell and UNLV. The Bison are 0-3 all-time against current Mountain West teams, having faced only Nevada and Air Force.
Scouting Cornell/Series History
- Cornell opened its season on Friday and went 2-1 at the UAlbany Invitational. The Big Red collected a 3-1 win over St. John's and a 3-0 win over Colgate before falling to the tournament hosts.
- Cornell was selected third in the Ivy League preseason poll. All Ivy League teams went without competition last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Big Red were 17-6 overall and 8-4 in the league in 2019.
- Cornell returned two All-Ivy League performers from the 2019 season in senior right-side hitter Jillienne Bennett and senior outside hitter Madison Baptiste. Baptiste currently leads the team in kills (3.64/S), and rookie libero Jackie Baker is averaging a team-best 3.64 digs per set.
- Head coach Trudy Vande Berg owns a 62-58 overall record since taking over in 2015. She was the 2017 Ivy League Coach of the Year.
- Bucknell is 2-14 all-time against Cornell, dating back to 1984. The Big Red won the last two meetings in 2016 and 2014, and Bucknell's last win was a 3-2 decision on the road in 2013.
Up Next
Bucknell begins Patriot League play with matches against Army and Holy Cross next weekend. Bucknell will visit the Black Knights on Friday, Sept. 17 before heading over to Worcester, Mass. to face the Crusaders on Saturday, Sept. 18.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
L
/ Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
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