Friday, November 15
Baltimore, Md.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
3
at
0
Loyola (Md.)
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Volleyball Sweeps Loyola (Md.); Sets Up Battle for Regular-Season Title with Colgate Tomorrow
11/15/2024 8:40:00 PM | Volleyball
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Bucknell Bison volleyball team avoided the possible trap game by sweeping the Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds (10-15, 8-8 Patriot) Friday night. Bucknell (21-3, 13-2 Patriot) won convincingly in straight sets (25-17, 25-20, 25-14) setting up battle with Colgate for the Patriot League regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Davis Gym. Colgate shares the top spot in the conference standings at 13-2 along with Bucknell.
The Orange & Blue bounced back decisively after being swept by Army last week. Bucknell has won 10 of 13 Patriot League victories by the sweep and the team has 16 on the season one away from equaling the 1983 team's record of 17. The 1983 team played 33 games and reached their total in the 32nd game.
Sidney Shaffer, the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year, led a potent Bison attack that hit nearly .400 (.395). Her 13 kills came on a sparkling .565 hitting percentage. Riley Tucker collected eight kills on a sizzling .727 percentage. At one point, Tucker was hitting .875 which would have been a top mark for the Patriot League this season. Bri Frazilus reached double-digits again with ten kills. Cameron Lloyd added nine kills. Caleigh O'Connell added to her best setting mark in the circuit with 37 assists. Jordan Hardy supplied 18 digs.
The Bison did not mess around and stormed to a quick start hitting .421 in the first set. After a quick tie at 3-3, the Bison turned up the heat on the Greyhounds establishing a 16-7 advantage. Bucknell extended its lead to 20-10 before Loyola started trading points. However, that system worked perfectly fine as Tucker notched the 25th point on a ferocious kill.
The second set featured some difficulty. Bucknell only hit .262 and Loyola sprinted to an 8-5 lead. The Greyhounds were clearly not going to roll over and the Bison answered the call. Bucknell evened the score and then the teams traded points. The Orange & Blue made its move up 18-17 with a devastating 5-0 run keyed by three Shaffer kills. Loyola tallied three more points but the Bison only needed two to win the set. Another Shaffer kill and a Loyola service error delivered the goods.
Bucknell finished the job in the third and final set hitting .529. Loyola twice tied the score at 1-1 and 2-2 but never equaled Bucknell again. The Greyhounds never got closer than 8-6 as the Orange & Blue continued to build a larger and larger lead. Bucknell answered every Loyola point with two of its own. Another 5-0 run with the score at 18-12 essentially ended the game. Shaffer's 13th kill concluded the set and game and gave Bucknell its 13th conference win.
The confrontation with Colgate tomorrow holds massive stakes. The Bison have not hosted the Patriot League Tournament as the number-one seed since the 2000 team received the honor. The 2000 Bison won the tournament and received the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament - a performance not equaled by the program since those halcyon days. Since the one-seed in the Patriot League Tournament hosts both semifinal games, Davis Gym will only see a tournament game if Bucknell wins tomorrow. The Bison did host a quarterfinal clash last season - the first tournament game held in Davis Gym since 2000.
The clash versus Colgate occurs tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Davis Gym.
The Orange & Blue bounced back decisively after being swept by Army last week. Bucknell has won 10 of 13 Patriot League victories by the sweep and the team has 16 on the season one away from equaling the 1983 team's record of 17. The 1983 team played 33 games and reached their total in the 32nd game.
Sidney Shaffer, the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year, led a potent Bison attack that hit nearly .400 (.395). Her 13 kills came on a sparkling .565 hitting percentage. Riley Tucker collected eight kills on a sizzling .727 percentage. At one point, Tucker was hitting .875 which would have been a top mark for the Patriot League this season. Bri Frazilus reached double-digits again with ten kills. Cameron Lloyd added nine kills. Caleigh O'Connell added to her best setting mark in the circuit with 37 assists. Jordan Hardy supplied 18 digs.
The Bison did not mess around and stormed to a quick start hitting .421 in the first set. After a quick tie at 3-3, the Bison turned up the heat on the Greyhounds establishing a 16-7 advantage. Bucknell extended its lead to 20-10 before Loyola started trading points. However, that system worked perfectly fine as Tucker notched the 25th point on a ferocious kill.
The second set featured some difficulty. Bucknell only hit .262 and Loyola sprinted to an 8-5 lead. The Greyhounds were clearly not going to roll over and the Bison answered the call. Bucknell evened the score and then the teams traded points. The Orange & Blue made its move up 18-17 with a devastating 5-0 run keyed by three Shaffer kills. Loyola tallied three more points but the Bison only needed two to win the set. Another Shaffer kill and a Loyola service error delivered the goods.
Bucknell finished the job in the third and final set hitting .529. Loyola twice tied the score at 1-1 and 2-2 but never equaled Bucknell again. The Greyhounds never got closer than 8-6 as the Orange & Blue continued to build a larger and larger lead. Bucknell answered every Loyola point with two of its own. Another 5-0 run with the score at 18-12 essentially ended the game. Shaffer's 13th kill concluded the set and game and gave Bucknell its 13th conference win.
The confrontation with Colgate tomorrow holds massive stakes. The Bison have not hosted the Patriot League Tournament as the number-one seed since the 2000 team received the honor. The 2000 Bison won the tournament and received the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament - a performance not equaled by the program since those halcyon days. Since the one-seed in the Patriot League Tournament hosts both semifinal games, Davis Gym will only see a tournament game if Bucknell wins tomorrow. The Bison did host a quarterfinal clash last season - the first tournament game held in Davis Gym since 2000.
The clash versus Colgate occurs tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Davis Gym.
Players Mentioned
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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
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/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
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