Volleyball Returns to Davis Gym to Face Holy Cross & Colgate in Weekend Matches

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (9-13, 6-7 Patriot League) vs. Holy Cross (8-21, 2-11 Patriot League)
When: Friday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym - Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (9-13, 6-7 Patriot League) vs. Colgate (16-8, 11-2 Patriot League)
When: Saturday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym - Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell hosts Holy Cross and Colgate this weekend in Davis Gym. The Bison face the Crusaders on Friday night and challenge the defending champions Raiders on Sautrday. Both games 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 Orange & Blue enjoyed a 2-0 weekend in its latest action. Bucknell defeated Keystone State rivals Lafayette and Lehigh to snap its five-game losing streak and obtain the season sweep over both programs.
The wins improved Bucknell to 9-13 overall and 6-7 in conference play. The Bison sit in fifth place, one game behind Navy. However, the Midshipmen have the head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping Bucknell in the season series.
Several Bison are represented in the conference leaderboards. Setter Caleigh O'Connell ranks second with 8.89 assists per set. Cameron Lloyd sits fifth with 4.00 digs per set. Sidney Shaffer ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.316).
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 Holy Cross/Series History

The Crusaders finished a dismal 2-23 overall and pitched a 0-16 goose egg in league play, failing to qualify for the conference tournament.
However, Holy Cross has been reborn under new management, sitting at 8-21 overall and 2-11 in conference action. Last season, the Crusaders did not go five sets against a conference foes until Lafayette in their 15th league game. This season, Holy Cross has taken Bucknell and Colgate to five sets.
The Bison and Crusaders shared one non-conference foe in Mercyhurst. Bucknell defeated the Lakers while Holy Cross split two games with their fellow Catholic school.
Holy Cross was projected to finish last in the nine-team Patriot League and did not place a player on the All-Preseason Team.
Emma Sorensen leads Holy Cross with 267 kills.
Matthew Cribbin enters his first season as Holy Cross' head coach. A proven winner, he spent 13 years at American International College, where he won two NCAA East Region Championships and made seven NCAA Tournament appearances, while winning both the NE10 Tournament and regular-season titles a total of three times in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Bucknell leads Holy Cross 46-20 all-time and have won the last five games, 15 sets to 3.

Scouting Colgate/Series History

Colgate won its customary Patriot League title in 2024, finishing 19-11 overall and 14-2 in conference play. The Raiders hosted the conference tournament and defeated fourth-seeded Lehigh before dispatching third-seeded Army in the title game. No. 12 Kansas swept Colgate in the NCAA First Round.
The Raiders sit at 16-8 overall and 11-2 in conference record. Colgate collected three P4 wins, defeating Washington and beating local Syracuse twice. They and Bucknell started conference play at 3-0 before meeting in Hamilton for a match, a meeting that the Raiders swept. Colgate, however, enters the weekend 1-2 in its last three conference games, losing to American and Army.
Bucknell and Colgate share one non-conference foe in Binghamton. The Bison fell to the Bearcats while the Raiders will play their fellow Empire State school on Sept. 30.
Colgate was projected to repeat as conference champions, earning eight of the nine first place votes. Milan Bayless won PL Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and landed on the All-Preseason Team. She was the only Raider to notch a spot.
Bayless has lived up to her press clippings, leading the Raiders with 405 kills, averaging 3.77 per set. Both stats pace the conference.
Head coach Ryan Baker has been a model of continuity and enters his 20th season in Hamilton, amassing a 338-225 record and five PL championships, including four straight titles.
Colgate owns the all-time series record 50-24 and have won the last 13 out of 14, including last year's season finale in Lewisburg, which had the regular season title and tournament hosting at stake. The Bison led two sets to none and had the match point before Colgate pulled off the reverse sweep. The Raiders swept Bucknell earlier this season.

Up Next

Bucknell completes the regular season at home versus Army on Nov. 15. The Bison will celebrate Senior Day and honor five student-athletes.

Volleyball Returns to Davis Gym to Face Holy Cross & Colgate in Weekend Matches

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Players Mentioned

Avery Bryan

Stephanie Eroh

Brynna Guy

Jordan Hardy

Tijana Kostic

Cameron Lloyd

Peyton McGee

Caleigh O'Connell

Sidney Shaffer

Klea Tarja

Volleyball Returns to Davis Gym to Face Holy Cross & Colgate in Weekend Matches

Related News

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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