LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Holy Cross volleyball team was defeated on the road by Patriot League foe Bucknell 3-1 Friday evening in Davis Gymnasium.
The loss was the 22nd of the season for the Crusaders and 12th in league action. The Bison improve to 10-13 and 7-7 in conference contests.
SET SCORES:
Bison 3, Crusaders 1 (25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 22-25)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Junior outside hitter Taliah Lee and freshman middle blocker Isa Glover started the contest skying high for a block for the 1-0 Holy Cross lead. Five in a row from the hosts expanded the edge to 5-1. Gover served and then was set up by senior setter Katie Russell for a kill making it 7-5 Bison. Down 13-9, the Crusaders pulled within one thanks to a pair of freshman outside hitter Emma Sorensen kills and a sophomore middle blocker Lacey Murphy block. Russell and Murphy blocked an attack attempt to level the set 18-18. Behing 19-18, freshman settler/right side KK Green started a 5-0 scoring stretch and ended it with a kill for the 23-19 Holy Cross lead. Back-to-back Glover kills clinched the first set for Holy Cross 25-20.
- Bucknell dropped an ace to double up the Crusaders 8-4. A 7-1 Crusader burst getting two straight Murphy kills gave Holy Cross a 11-9 lead. Tailing 14-11, the Bison regained the edge 21-15 thanks to an 10-1 scoring stretch. A perfectly timed Lee kill brought her quad within three, 22-19 before Bucknell tied the match 1-1.
- Lee posted an ace for the Crusaders which put them ahead 6-3. A Sorensen and Murphy block kept their team in front at 8-6. Murphy's seventh kill of the match kept the Holy Cross lead at two, 15-13 at the media stoppage. With a one point deficit, the Bison had an 8-3 run to come within one point of a 2-1 match lead. Lee put a halt to the binge, but Bucknell took a 2-1 edge in the contest.
- Kills off the swing of Sorensen and Lee put Holy Cross in the driver's seat early up 5-2. Trailing by four, Bucknell strung together a 7-1 outburst to take a two point 13-11 lead. A Bison attack miscue dropped their margin to one, 17-16. Needing a rally, the Crusaders turned a four point deficit to one thanks to a trio of Sorensen kills and one from Lee making it 21-20 Bison. Bucknell ended up winning the match 3-1.
INSIDE THE BOX:
- Murphy recorded a match-best seven blocks and moved to a tie for ninth place (79.0) on the program's single-season list (Carissa Bennett, 2001).
- Russell (1,595) needs 63 more assists to move to sixth place on the program's all-time list. She has 40+ assists in five of the last six matches.
- Sorensen recorded a match-high 17 kills and hit .357 from the outside.
- Lee double-doubled (10 kills, 12 digs) for the sixth time this season and for the second straight match.
- Reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week Elizabeth Hall tallied 21 digs with four assists. It is the fifth time over the last six matches she has recorded 18 or more digs.
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross remains on the road to square off against Lehigh (11-12, 5-9 PL) on Saturday, Nov. 8.
- First serve is set for 4 p.m.
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