Oct. 5, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. -
Coming off a seven-match homestand, the Bucknell volleyball team will take to the road for the first time in nearly a month, as the squad will play at Navy and American this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6. The Bison, who are currently 8-9 on the year, 2-1 in the Patriot League will face the Mids at 7 p.m. on Friday, while the following day's match against the Eagles is set for 4 p.m.
BISON VOLLEYBALL NOTEBOOK
About the Bison
- Bucknell is currently 8-9 (2-1 PL) after dropping its lone contest last week at home to Colgate, 3-1. - Senior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek) leads the Bison in kills per game (4.65), while also contributing 2.43 digs per game. Her kills per game average ranked second in the Patriot League and 38th nationally as of the last statistical report. She began the week 10th in the league in hitting percentage, as well (.272). - Freshman Heidi Kamp (Springfield, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) has a team-high in blocks per game (0.72) with a total of 43 on the year and paces the Bison with a .276 hitting percentage. She began the week second among the freshmen in the league in that category, which was ninth overall. Against Colgate, Kamp posted a career-high 15 kills. - Junior Emilie Hardinge (Darien, Conn./Darien) leads the team in service aces with 22 for an average of 0.37 per game. She is 12th in the Patriot League in kills per game (2.82). - Junior setter Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) is averaging 11.86 assists per game to lead Bucknell and the league. - Sophomore Jennifer Rupp (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) paces the Bison with 3.23 digs per game, which ranks eighth in the PL. She is ninth in the league in service aces as well with a 0.40 per-game average.
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Broadcast Coverage
- Two live internet video broadcasts will be available for a subscription fee though BucknellBison.com for volleyball this season, Oct. 12 versus Holy Cross at 7 p.m., and Oct. 13 against Army at 5 p.m.
Bison Milestones
- Cindy Opalski coached in her 500th match as head coach of the Bison on Sept. 1 at Duquesne. Then when Bucknell topped Morgan State, 3-1, on Sept. 5, it gave Opalski her 350th career victory. She is currently 354-277 in 21 seasons as a head coach. Bucknell's win over Lehigh on Sept. 21 gave Opalski her 100th Patriot League victory, which leads all active coaches in the league. - Henderson tallied her 1,000th career kill in game three of Bucknell's match at Air Force on Sept. 25. She now ranks third in Bison history with 1,250 and is five kills away from passing Shannon Walker for second. Henderson is 128 shy of breaking the Bucknell career kills record. - Pitsch is fourth on Bucknell's career assist list with 2,431. She needs 92 to pass Breean Trapasso for third in the record books.
Scouting the Navy Midshipmen
- The Midshipmen enter Friday's match with an 11-7 record (1-2 PL), but have dropped their last three matches to Army (3-1), American (3-2) and Loyola (Md.) (3-0). - Rachel Dougherty paces Navy's offense with an average of 4.03 kills per game and 38 service aces (0.63 per game). - Jessie Sims is averaging 3.47 kills per game and 3.08 digs per game. - Setter Marissa Watson holds an average of 10.70 assists per game, Krista Eschelman leads the team in blocks (48, 0.89 per game) and Amiee' Burns boasts a team-best 3.15 digs per game average. - In the all-time series between the Bison and the Mids, which began in 1981, Navy holds a 16-15 advantage. Bucknell won both meetings in 2006, 3-0 and 3-1.
Scouting the American Eagles
- With a match against Colgate on Friday evening, American enters the weekend with a record of 11-6, 3-0 in the league and is riding a seven-match winning streak. - Rubena Sukaj holds a team high kills per game average of 5.38 and paces the Eagles in service aces with 38 (0.62 per game). - Claire Recht leads the squad in blocks with 62 (1.19 per game), setter Christina Nash is averaging 10.31 assists per game and Ivana Cebakova boasts a team-best average of 3.74 digs per game. - American leads the all-time series with Bucknell, 19-1. The teams first met in 1989.
Recapping Bucknell's Match Versus Colgate
- Wrapping up a seven-match homestand, the Bucknell fell to Colgate by a 3-1 (30-28, 23-30, 30-24, 30-19) score last Friday evening in Davis Gym. Four Bison reached double figures in kills, led by 16 from Henderson, but Katrina Zawjoski had a match-high 20 kills and hit .447 for Colgate. Kamp posted a 15 kills and hit a team-best .303 for the Orange and Blue in the contest. Freshman Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) and Hardinge recorded 10 kills apiece to round out the balanced Bison attack. Despite the 62 kills as a team, Bucknell hit .142 for the match, compared to .262 for Colgate. Pitsch recorded 48 assists to lead the Bison, while she also contributed 12 digs. Rupp paced Bucknell with 17 digs.
2007 Awards and Honors
- Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/10/07) - Patriot League Player of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/10/07) - Patriot League Rookie of the Week - Kaitlin Segal (9/24/07) - ECAC Volleyball Player of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/13/07) - Patriot League Honorable Mention - Jenna Henderson (8/27/07 & 9/4/07) - All Tournament Teams - Shannon Pitsch (Air Force Invitational), Jenna Henderson (Courtyard by Marriott Duquesne/RMU Invitational, Bucknell Invitational), Emilie Hardinge (Cornell Invitational, Bucknell Invitational)
Up Next
- Bucknell will return home next Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12-13, and will take on Holy Cross on Friday at 7 p.m. and Army on Saturday at 5 p.m.
