Bucknell University
12-7,5-5Patriot
Lafayette
6-11,3-7Patriot
Volleyball Earns Series Sweep Over Lafayette with Five-Set Victory Friday Night
10/21/2022 10:24:00 PM | Volleyball
EASTON, Pa. – The Bucknell volleyball team captured a nail-biting victory over Lafayette Friday evening, defeating the Leopards in five sets at Kirby Sports Center to improve to 12-7 overall and 5-5 in Patriot League play. The Bison collected their first series sweep of the season with the win.
It was a back-and-forth match that featured a number of comebacks by both squads as they alternated set wins. Bucknell hit .223 for the match while Lafayette was at .169. Leading the offensive effort was freshman Bri Frazilus, who supplied 20 kills on 46 total attacks for a .283 hitting percentage. It was her second time reaching 20 kills this season. She was joined in double figures by junior Catherine Jamison, who posted 15 kills on 40 attacks while hitting .250.
Sophomore libero Jordan Hardy, who sits atop the Patriot League in digs and has been among the national leaders this season, registered 35 digs against the Leopards while posting just one reception error. The mark matched her season high, and it was the third time she's eclipsed 30 digs in her career.
The Bison proved early on in the match that no lead was safe as they recovered from an eight-point deficit and won 25-22 in the opening set. Trailing 18-10, Bucknell used a 13-2 run that included eight straight points to take a 23-20 lead. The Leopards managed two more points in the set before a Frazilus kill ended it.
S1 | Bucknell 23, Lafayette 20
— Bucknell Volleyball (@Bucknell_VB) October 21, 2022
It's a 12-2 Bison run in this opening set! @ESPN+ | @PatriotLeagueTV
Watch: https://t.co/hxBdsG3C0F pic.twitter.com/srgB8DRQ5x
The roles were reversed in the second set as Bucknell was in control most of the way and led 20-14, but this time the Leopards used a 9-1 run to jump in front at 23-21. The Bison lost the second 25-22 despite hitting a match-high .324 with two blocks and three service aces.
The Bison trailed 5-2 early in the third, but it ended up being the largest margin of victory by either squad as Bucknell won it 25-16. Bucknell went on a 10-1 run to make it 19-12, and the 2-1 match lead was never in doubt from that point on.
The Bison trailed by as many as six in the fourth before crawling their way back once again to tie it at 23-23. They weren't rewarded for their efforts this time, however, as Lafayette secured the final two points while capitalizing on Bucknell's .095 hitting percentage to send the match to a fifth set. It was the sixth time this season the Bison have gone the distance, and they're now 3-3 in five-setters.
The match was in jeopardy for Bucknell when Lafayette took a 7-4 lead in the fifth, but the Bison regrouped after a timeout and went on a 6-1 run to grab the advantage at 10-8. The Leopards scored just two more before Bucknell rattled off five straight points on two Jamison kills, a Frazilus kill and two Lafayette attack errors to win the match.
S5 | Bucknell 12, Lafayette 10
— Bucknell Volleyball (@Bucknell_VB) October 22, 2022
Another spectacular job by Hardy! She's up to 35 digs in the match as well. @ESPN | @PatriotLeague TV
Watch: https://t.co/rfhE5unopq pic.twitter.com/7G0rOzzC6w
Frazilus added three block assists to her total, and junior Valentina Feigl posted three as well to go along with five kills. Freshman Tijana Kostic finished with nine kills, and senior Sandra Korusiewicz was near a double-double with eight kills and 16 digs.
Freshman setter Laura Caro led the team with 30 assists, followed by Caleigh O'Connell's 22.
Bucknell takes on Lehigh on Saturday at 4 p.m. in search of its second series sweep of the season.
