The volleyball team finished a successful weekend, defeating conference rival Colgate 3-2 Saturday after sweeping Bucknell Friday 3-0.
The victory moves AU into first place in the Patriot League standings. AU is now one game ahead of the Colgate Raiders to get home court advantage for the Patriot League championship.
Colgate served as tougher competition for the first-place Eagles. The Red Raiders won the first game 33-31, but AU responded by winning the next two games 30-21 and 30-25. Although the Raiders were able to win the next game 30-26, the Eagles finished the deal, winning 15-10 in the final game.
AU outplayed Colgate throughout the match, out-hitting the Raiders in all five games and finishing with a hitting percentage of .320. The Eagles finished with a total of 80 kills while committing 23 errors and blocking a season-high 14 attacks.
Junior Rubena Sukaj came through in the clutch, recording 30 kills and 10 aces, giving Sukaj her ninth double-double of the season. Sukaj hit the 30-kills mark for the fourth time this year and also set a single-match career high for aces.
Ivana Cebakova and Tara Stradling contributed with double-doubles of their own. Cebakova collected 17 kills and 14 digs while Stradling recorded 20 assists with 10 digs. Christina Nash, Claire Recht and Cynammon Burns continued their consistent play as well. Nash had 45 assists, Recht had 10 kills and Burns dug 11 balls.
On Friday night, AU took care of business by sweeping Bucknell off their home court. Junior setter Nash led the Eagles, tallying 32 assists, three kills and six digs. Julia Borecka also had a team-high nine kills and reached her career high in digs with 13.
With both victories, AU is riding on a huge train of momentum going into the final weekend of conference play. The Eagles can capture their seventh straight Patriot League championship by beating Lehigh and Lafayette on the road next week.
If AU wins the conference, they will earn the right to host the PL tournament beginning Nov. 16.
The Eagles' final home game is Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Bender Arena. This will also be Senior Night for upperclassmen Stradling, Chelsa Brooks and Logan Striebel. The three athletes will be honored in a prematch ceremony.
