Bucknell University
10-9,6-4Patriot
Colgate
15-6,8-2Patriot
Volleyball Brushes Past First-Place Colgate on the Road in Wild Five-Setter
10/20/2023 11:07:00 PM | Volleyball
HAMILTON, N.Y. – The Bucknell volleyball team pulled off an upset over first-place Colgate in a back-and-forth five-setter at Cotterell Court Friday night. The Bison racked up 72 kills while maintaining a .253 hitting percentage, posted 98 digs and 16 total blocks in the win over the reigning Patriot League Champions. It was Bucknell's first victory over the Raiders since September 2017, and the Bison snapped Colgate's 33-match home win streak that dated back to September 2021.
"The team was locked in all match tonight," said head coach Tyler Hagstrom. "We lost a competitive first set and we bounced back to keep fighting until the end."
Recap
The 33-31 opening set, which featured comebacks, lead changes, and plenty of blocks by both teams, was a microcosm for what was to come throughout the three-hour match. Bucknell battled back after dropping the opening frame and won set two 25-17 before the Raiders claimed a 25-21 win in the third. With the match in jeopardy, Bucknell rallied in the fourth to win 25-22 and never trailed in the 15-11 fifth set.
With the win, Bucknell improved to 10-9 overall and 6-4 in Patriot League play. Colgate moved to 15-6 overall and 8-2 in league play, dropping its second-consecutive five-set league match after winning its first eight in a row and posting big wins over Syracuse and West Virginia in non-league action.
Bucknell freshman middle blocker Sidney Shaffer filled the stat sheet with 17 kills on 34 total attempts with just five errors. She added four block solos, four block assists, and four digs. Shaffer was one of four Bison with double-digit kills, as Catherine Jamison led all players with 18, Bri Frazilus contributed 12, and Cameron Lloyd chipped in 11 with 13 digs. Riley Tucker supplied eight kills with no errors, hitting over .500 for the match with four total blocks.
Five Bison registered double-digit digs, led by Jordan Hardy's 33. Caleigh O'Connell led the match with 48 assists.
Bucknell's 16 total blocks were a season-high, only to be outdone by an incredible 21 for Colgate. There was also plenty of action at the service line, with Bucknell overcoming 10 service errors compared to seven for the Raiders. Colgate posted 12 service aces in the match.
Bucknell led most of the way early on in the opening set and looked like it would cruise to a 1-0 start to the match, leading 19-14. Colgate came storming back with an 8-2 run to take its first lead at 22-21. It was back and forth from that point on, as the two teams traded blows and Bucknell fought off set point five times before a 3-0 Raider run put an end to the frame at 33-31. 10 of Colgate's 21 blocks came in the first set.
The Bison never trailed in the second set and led by as many as nine before evening the match at 1-1. Colgate led most of the way in the third, but the Bison kept things interesting. Trailing 22-16, Bucknell used a 5-1 run to pull within two of tying late, but Colgate held on to take a 2-1 lead. The Raiders benefited from five service aces in the third.
Bucknell came back again in the fourth set and this time made it count. After Colgate opened the frame on a 6-1 run, the Bison scored seven unanswered to take an 8-6 lead. The lead changed four more times, and after the two teams sat tied at 20-20, Bucknell ended the fourth outscoring the hosts 5-2 to force a fifth and final set for a fifth time this season. The Bison hit .256 in the fourth set, posting 16 kills on 43 total attempts with just five errors.
It was all Bucknell in the final set. The Bison hit .389, posted three more blocks, and never trailed. A 5-1 run gave the Orange & Blue an 8-4 cushion, and Colgate got no closer than two to tying from there. A final kill by Tijana Kostic ended the night.
BISON WIN!!!
— Bucknell Volleyball (@Bucknell_VB) October 21, 2023
Down go the Raiders, and Bucknell ends Colgate's 33-match home winning streak! It's Bucknell's first victory over Colgate since 2017. 🦬🔶🔷#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/HrP19ZFic5
Notes
Jordan Hardy moved into third all-time in career digs for Bucknell. She passed Brooke Stark, who had 1353 digs from 2016-2019.
Up Next
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday to face second-place Army in West Point, N.Y. at 4 p.m.
