Friday, October 21
Easton, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Lafayette
Volleyball Set for Crucial Patriot League Matches at Lafayette and Lehigh
10/20/2022 4:52:00 PM | Volleyball
Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (11-7, 4-5 PL) at Lafayette (6-10, 3-6 PL)
When: Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kirby Sports Center – Easton, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (11-7, 4-5 PL) at Lehigh (11-10, 2-7 PL)
When: Saturday, Oct. 22 at 4 p.m.
Where: Leeman-Turner Arena – Bethlehem, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: LehighSports.com
About Bucknell
- Bucknell begins a four-match road swing this weekend with Patriot League contests at Lafayette and Lehigh. It's a critical stretch of the season as the Bison look to remain among the top six teams in the Patriot League standings. The Bison will face the three teams sitting below them over the next three matches.
- Bucknell suffered just its second 3-0 defeat of the season and its first in league play against Army last weekend. The Bison are in the midst of a three-match losing skid after opening league play 4-2.
- Libero Jordan Hardy remains among the national leaders in total digs and digs per set this season. She currently ranks fourth in the country with 5.77 digs per set and is approaching 800 in her career. She's also four shy of hitting the 400 mark this season.
- Catherine Jamison is fifth in the Patriot league with 3.38 kills per set and eighth with her .272 hitting percentage, despite seeing limited time in Saturday's match. Jamison has posted double-digit kills in 13 of 18 matches.
- Joining Jamison among the league leaders in kills is Bri Frazilus. The three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week is sixth in kills per set (3.34) and led Bucknell in the Army match for an eighth time this season.
- Allie Lopez, who posted three block assists in the team's most recent match, ranks sixth in the Patriot League with 0.93 blocks per set. Three of her eight block solos were posted two matches ago against Navy.
- Hagstrom is in his third season with the program. He's joined by second-year assistant Jeremy Young. Hagstrom is looking to guide the Bison back to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2010.
Scouting Lafayette/Series History
- Lafayette enters the weekend after having picked up back-to-back 3-0 sweeps over Holy Cross last week and is 6-10 overall this season with a 3-6 mark in Patriot League play. The Leopards currently sit one spot behind the Bison in league standings at 7th.
- The Leopards were picked sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll after going 15-10 (12-4 PL) and securing their highest Patriot League tournament seed ever (No. 2) in 2021.
- Lafayette is led in kills by Abby Nieporte (3.22/S), who ranks eighth in the league. She also leads the league in service aces per set (0.89). Nieporte is the younger sister of Bucknell volleyball junior Libby Nieporte.
- Lafayette middle blocker Gracie Gibson is third in the league in hitting percentage (.318), and junior setter Alyssa Vitale ranks third in assists per set (8.9).
- Lafayette head coach Ryan Adams served as an assistant with the Bucknell volleyball team from 2014-16 and in 2018.
- Bucknell is 46-27 in all-time meetings with the Leopards, including a 3-0 victory back on Sept. 18. Bucknell posted a .293 hitting percentage in the match, and Bri Frazilus (13 kills, 8 digs) led two players in double figures for kills. Jordan Hardy posted 21 digs, and Caleigh O'Connell finished with a team-high three block assists.
Scouting Lehigh/Series History
- Lehigh is 11-10 overall and 2-7 in league play, sitting eighth in the standings. The Mountain Hawks have wins over Loyola (Md.) and Holy Cross (3-1).
- Lehigh was picked seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll following an 8-19 (4-12 PL) finish in 2021.
- The Mountain Hawks currently rank second in the league in hitting percentage (.217), opponent hitting percentage (.165) and service aces (1.81/S). They're also first in blocks per set (2.64) and opponent blocks per set (1.09).
- The Mountain Hawks have the league's two top blocks leaders in Emily Stewart (1.37/S) and Sophia Meagher (1.15/S). Additionally, Megan Schulte is third in kills per set (3.54), and Makena Smith is fourth in assists (8.85/S).
- Lehigh head coach Alexa Keckler is in her fifth year with the program. She's 56-60 since arriving in Bethlehem and is 293-211 for her career.
- The Bison are 30-54 in all-time meetings with Lehigh, but they've captured each of the last two victories. Bucknell swept Lehigh in straight sets back on Sept. 17 this season. Sarina Singer led all players with 14 kills while hitting a robust .545, and the Bison rolled by set scores of 25-16, 26-24, 25-16. Bri Frazilus added 11 kills and paced Bucknell's stellar serving performance with four of the team's nine aces. Catherine Jamison tallied nine kills and hit .412, and Jordan Hardy was all over the floor with 23 digs in the three-set affair.
Up Next
Bucknell travels to Holy Cross on Friday, Oct. 28 before visiting Colgate on Saturday, Oct. 29 next weekend.
Players Mentioned
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/ VolleyballBucknell Volleyball vs. Loyola University (10/4/25)
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