Volleyball Faces Pennsylvanian Rivals Lafayette & Lehigh in Weekend Matches

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (7-13, 4-7 Patriot League) vs. Lafayette (4-16, 2-8 Patriot League)
When: Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym - Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Video: YouTube
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (7-13, 4-7 Patriot League) at Lehigh (9-11, 3-8 Patriot League)
When: Sunday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
Where: Leeman Turner Arena at Grace Hall - Bethlehem, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: lehighsports.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell returns to Davis Gym on Saturday to play Lafayette and then hits the road to face Keystone Clash rival Lehigh on Sunday. The Lafayette game will be streamed on YouTube and the Lehigh match will be streamed on ESPN+ and the links can be found on the Bucknell Volleyball schedule page. Live Stats links for both matches can be found on the Bucknell Volleyball schedule page. Live updates will be tweeted on Bucknell Volleyball's X account.
The Bison played two games last weekend and dropped both matches. Loyola (Md.) rallied from down two sets to one to upset Bucknell on Friday and the Bison were swept by American on Saturday.
The losses dropped to Bucknell to 7-13 overall and 4-7 in conference action, slotting the team in fifth place in a tie with Loyola (Md.).
Setter Caleigh O'Connell ranks second in the loop with 9.08 assists per set.
Cameron Lloyd sits fifth in the conference with 4.04 digs per set.
The Bison were selected to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll behind reigning champion Colgate and Army. Bucknell lost 3-2 in the Patriot League semifinals last year to the Black Knights of the Hudson.
Caleigh O'Connell returns for her senior season after winning 2024 Patriot League Setter of the Year. O'Connell picked up the 2025 preseason edition of the honor and along with Sidney Shaffer landed on the All-Patriot League Preseason team.
Tijana Kostic has one final year with the Bison after notching Second Team honors in 2024.
The program lost two-time Patriot League Libero of the Year Jordan Hardy to graduation. She was the first Bison to win the award and earn AVCA Honorable Mention honors. Hardy graduated as the program's all-time leader in digs with 1986.
Five freshmen join the Bison for 2025: Avery Bryan, Stephanie Eroh, Brynna Guy, Peyton McGee, and Klea Tarja. Four of the five players have seen action for Bucknell.
Bucknell has a new head coach at the helm. Tyler Hagstrom, who rebuilt the program, left in July for the head position at Penn. Assistant coach Jeremy Young was elevated to interim head coach. Young enters his fifth year overall in Lewisburg.

Scouting Lafayette/Series History

Lafayette sank to 7-18 overall and a 2-14 mark in Patriot League play last season. The team did not qualify for the PL Tournament and finished the year losing their last 12 out of 13 games.
The Leopards sit at 4-16 overall and 2-8 in conference play. Their non-conference slate was ambitious, including two ranked foes in #24 Dayton and #23 Utah. They also faced and were swept by Tyler Hagstrom's Penn squad. Lafayette defeated Lehigh and Loyola (Md.) in league action.
Bucknell and Lafayette did not share a common non-conference foe.
Lafayette was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team PL volleyball circuit.
Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo is sixth in the loop in kills per set (3.15).
Jeff Werneke is another brand-new Patriot League head coach. He will be familiar with the Bison, as he spent the last three seasons as Binghamton's associate head coach.
Bucknell owns the 52-27 series lead over Lafayette. The Bison have won seven straight over Lafayette.

Scouting Lehigh/Series History

The Mountain Hawks finished 16-13 overall and 8-8 in Patriot League play in 2024. Lehigh earned the sixth seed for the Patriot League Tournament. They upset third-seed American in quarterfinal action before being erased in four sets by one-seed and eventual conference champion Colgate in the semifinals.
Lehigh sits at 9-11. They went 6-3 in non-conference play but have struggled in conference action. The Mountain Hawks defeated Holy Cross, Loyola, and Navy for their conference triumphs.
Bucknell and Lehigh shared one common opponent in Binghamton. The Mountain Hawks swept the Bearcats in Binghamton.
The Mountain Hawks were projected to finish fifth in PL Preseason Poll and placed Natalie Luscomb on the All-Preseason Team.
Lehigh has three players with 180+ kills with Luscomb and Ufuoma Omene tied in first with 195.
Madison McCartney leads the PL in blocks per set (1.19).
Shawn McLaughlin enters his first season as Lehigh's head coach. His previous stop was at Delaware where he won a CAA title.
Bucknell trails Lehigh 35-55 in the all-time series but the Bison have won the last five matches.

Up Next

Bucknell hosts Holy Cross (Nov. 7) and Colgate (Nov. 8) next weekend.

Volleyball Faces Pennsylvanian Rivals Lafayette & Lehigh in Weekend Matches

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Cameron Lloyd

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Volleyball Faces Pennsylvanian Rivals Lafayette & Lehigh in Weekend Matches

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Cameron Lloyd

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

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