The AU volleyball team got off to a great start in Patriot League play this past week by going on the road and defeating both the Bucknell University Bison and the Colgate University Raiders in its first two conference clashes.
The two wins improve the Eagles overall record to 13-2, their best start after 15 matches since 2001; a year in which they finished 26-4 and made an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Bucknell
Magdalena Tekiel registered a career-high 22 kills to go along with 12 digs and two block assists as the Eagles defeated Bucknell 3-1 on Friday.
The victory came by set scores of 25-23, 25-19, 30-32 and 25-15.
Fellow senior Angelina Waterman notched 13 kills, two service aces and seven digs, while Alexandra Hammer led the AU offense with 43 assists. Juliana Crum added 11 digs on the defensive side.
After the Bison jumped out to a 19-12 first set lead, AU rallied back by scoring six of the next seven points. Bucknell then extended its lead to 23-18, before the Eagles went on a 7-0 run to take the set, highlighted by four Tekiel kills.
In the second set, it was the Eagles who jumped out to the early lead, as they held an 18-10 advantage after a Bucknell attack error. But the Bison stormed back, scoring nine of the next 11 points to cut the AU lead to 20-19. Leading by one, AU scored the next five points, and a Waterman kill put the Eagles up 2-0.
The third set was back and forth throughout, but the Eagles had a chance at a straight set victory as they held a 24-21 lead. Bucknell then scored four consecutive points to pull ahead 25-24, and the set was eventually tied at 30 apiece and neither side could gain a two-point advantage. Two straight kills by Bucknell’s Katie Baumgarten gave the Bison their first and only set victory of the match. AU jumped on Bucknell in the fourth set, taking leads of 18-10 and 22-14. The Bison could not muster a comeback. A Bianca Richardson kill cemented the Eagles 3-1 victory.
Colgate
Waterman led the Eagles in their 3-1 defeat of Colgate, as she posted 15 kills and nine digs in the victory. Tekiel and Deborah Frantz each had a team-high 12 digs, and Krysta Cicala set up the offense with 27 assists.
The win came by set scores of 25-20, 25-16, 14-25 and 25-19.
AU jumped out to a 14-9 lead in the first set, and a Katerina Cinkova kill put the Eagles in front 17-13. AU led 24-20 when a Cassandra Ricketts kill put the Eagles up 1-0.
After two straight Logan Keala attack errors, AU again had a comfortable advantage as they led 18-9 in the second set. Colgate would get as close as 19-13, but AU would go on to win the second set thanks to kills from Ricketts and Richardson.
The Raiders put forth a strong effort in the third set. Colgate held a five point lead at 15-10, and that advantage ballooned to 10 as the Raiders led 22-12. Two attack errors by AU later gave the Raiders the 25-14 third set victory.
The Eagles stopped Colgate’s momentum in the fourth set, as AU held a 20-17 lead late and then a 23-18 advantage after an attack error by Bucknell. A Waterman kill off an assist from Cicala gave AU the 25-18 set victory and the 3-1 win.
AU will next play on the road against the Morgan State University Bears on Sept. 29 before returning home for their third Patriot League contest against the Army Black Knights on Oct. 1.
ttomea@theeagleonline.com
