|
Bucknell Seeded Second at Patriot League Volleyball Tournament
Nov. 20, 2003
Tournament Notes in PDF Format
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After its most successful trip through conference play in school history, the Bucknell volleyball team enters this weekend's Patriot League tournament in Washington, D.C., with a No. 2 seed and high hopes for a third conference championship in six years. The Bison, who compiled a best-ever 11-3 league record (15-12 overall), will face third-seeded Lehigh (18-13, 8-6) in the tournament semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m. That match will be preceded by top-seeded and tournament host American (18-9, 14-0) taking on fourth-seeded Army (17-14, 8-6). Sunday's championship match begins at noon. Bucknell won two regular-season tilts from Lehigh, both in three games. The Bison prevailed 30-23, 30-19, 30-26 in Davis Gym on Oct. 3, then rallied from behind in all three frames for a 30-26, 33-31, 30-28 decision in Bethlehem, Pa., on Nov. 1. Bucknell is led by senior identical twins Brandi and Breean Trapasso (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda), both of whom were named to the All-Patriot League team this week. Brandi, Bucknell's all-time digs leader, totaled 26 digs in two matches against Lehigh this season, while Breean, one of the league's elite setters, compiled 82 assists against the Mountain Hawks.
Junior Jackie Leahy (Plainview, N.Y./Bethpage) - a first-team all-conference selection and Bucknell's top offensive performer - logged 33 kills and hit .311 against Lehigh this season. Leahy needs 32 kills to break the Bucknell single-season record of 421, set by Melissa Wharton in 1996. Lehigh is led by a pair of first-team all-conference selections in freshman Michelle Schwendenmann and senior Jeanette Singleton. Schwendenmann totaled 35 kills and hit .327 against Bucknell this season, while the Bison did a better job against Singleton, holding her to 23 kills and a .093 hitting percentage in two contests. Bucknell is 10-14 all-time in Patriot League Tournament play, including 2-3 against Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks eliminated the Bison in last year's tourney semifinals. American, which is 42-0 all-time in Patriot League regular-season play and has won the last two tournament titles, is 1-0 against Bucknell in tourney play (2001 semifinals), while Army and Bucknell have never met in the tournament. Bucknell swept the season series from Army this fall but went 0-2 against American.
Head coach Cindy Opalski, the 2003 Patriot League Coach of the Year, is looking to lead the Bison to their third NCAA Tournament. The Bison won PL titles and the automatic NCAA bid in 1998 and 2000, defeating Colgate in the final both times.
|
MULTIMEDIA 
Photo Galleries 
Facilities Gallery 
Video Player 
Media Guide HistoryProspective Student-AthletesFacilities |
