AU volleyball continued its dominant winning streak by sweeping Bucknell University at Bender Arena Nov. 1, keeping the Eagles as No. 1 in Patriot League standings.
The Eagles (23-2, 9-1, PL) focused on defense throughout their match against the Bisons (9-13, 2-10, PL). Senior outside hitter Juliana Crum finished with a team high of 11 digs. Junior libero Megan Rosburg and junior setter Monika Smidova followed closely behind her with 10 and nine digs, respectively.
“Overall, I think our defense was really successful today,” Crum said. “We ran down a lot of balls in the back, making really good digs.”
Blocking was also a significant focus of the Eagles’ defense.
“I definitely think that in game two, our blocking picked up a lot,” Crum said. “Blocking was a really big thing for us.”
Senior middle blocker Morgan Hendrix notched a game-high five block assists with Smidova finishing with four block assists.
“This week, we worked a lot on blocking,” Hendrix added. “We were so focused on the block, that the rest that we have to do as middle blockers came with it.”
AU dominated their matchup against the Bison.
“I think the overall flow of the team [was successful],” junior outside hitter Kristyna Lindovska said.
In addition to their defense, the liveliness of the team allowed AU to stay on top. The players were noticeably excited with every kill that they earned and particularly irritated when they missed an opportunity for a block or a dig.
“It’s a different, happier, positive wavelength, and I think it really helped a lot all across the board,” Hendrix said.
The first set of the match highlighted AU’s powerful defense and teamwork. The Eagles quickly notched a 5-0 lead to start the game. The Eagles kept their advantage throughout the first set, eventually winning it 25-19.
AU initially fell behind Bucknell during the second set. The Eagles were down 11-8, but they picked up their game and went on a 7-0 run, forcing the Bisons to call a timeout. By then, it was too late. AU maintained its lead for the rest of the set and won the set 25-18 on a kill by Hendrix.
The Eagles dominated their third and final set against the Bisons. After earning a 4-3 advantage on a kill by Lindovska, the Eagles never dropped their lead. After several exciting and drawn-out rallies, AU came out on top, winning the game 25-16.
Supplementing the Eagles’ defense was their effective offense. The team had a combined .385 hitting percentage for the entire match, averaging a hitting percentage of .478 during the first set. Lindovska notched a game-high 17 kills, which more than doubled the total kills of any other AU player. Smidova contributed a game-high 41 assists the Eagles’ effort.
AU will face off Lafayette University at Bender Arena on Nov. 2.
